The Snow in Wallachia
by YamatosSenpai
Summary: Spin off to the series The Woods of Arcadia. In the mountainous snow-covered plains of Wallachia, in ancient Romania, a coven of vampires intercepts Shunsui Kyoraku and his party of shifters. The shifters, Jushiro and Orihime face a new challenge and must find a way to end the centuries of death and mayhem brought on by the Coven.
1. The Issue of Mircea the Elder

Hello. The Snow in Wallachia takes place during my story's, The Woods of Arcadia, A Woman's Touch arc. Orihime Inoue is alive and well and Aizen has not yet been defeated by our heroes. ATTENTION: You probably have to read The Woods of Arcadia series to understand this story. Thank you.

 **The Snow in Wallachia**

 ** _Part I: The Issue of Mircea the Elder_**

There was rhythm to his agony, a beat to his heartbreak. A million times over he sucked another profane breath into his frozen lungs and he gasped back to life. There was no release, no death, no all-encompassing blackness. He lived as if he was tarred by unending darkness and fate kept him alive, aware, and spinning on her cruel axis.

There was an uneasy knock on the door of his chamber. His eyes opened instantly, his thick, black lashes beating deafeningly in the empty room. But he had been awake long before; he had been awake the moment his _guard_ had stepped on the very first stair, one hundred steps below. There was another intake of breath, another moment of life without her. He sat up mechanically, the blankets pooling around his waist.

For a moment, there was a youthful innocence in his appearance, as he rubbed his eyes with balled fists. He cleared his throat, his deep, calm voice shaking off the sleepless exhaustion. "Yes?"

"Many pardons, M'Lord …" the man on the other side of the door began. "Trespassers in the forest…"

"I have given my orders." Byakuya answered icily, his slate grey eyes flashing dangerously. He felt the man stir outside of the room, and relished the fear.

"Yes, my Lord…" a second man hissed outside his door. "But, Sir, the trespassers, they aren't Human…"

Byakuya's face twitched, his eyes flashing toward the door. He stood quickly, crossing the room in an instant. He shrugged out of his nightclothes and opened his wardrobe, selecting a tailored black ensemble. He dressed silently, his tongue absently running along his teeth.

Byakuya pushed the heavy, oaken door open, striding outside and in front of the two men. The first was a short man with a mane of unkempt ginger hair. He bowed politely, taking a step back as Byakuya approached. The second was a rather foul-looking man with oily skin and hair.

"M'Lord, three scouts returned this afternoon. We've found _them_ dead. No resuscitation. There seems to be an unknown creature… in the woods… it feasts… well… on flesh…" The little man murmured. Byakuya remained silent and after a few awkward moments, he turned his head, looking up at Byakuya curiously.

Byakuya sighed, a short and impolite sound. It escaped his lips and swirled through the air like a curse word. This man, this peasant, was young and, by the looks of him, stupid. Byakuya cut his eyes, focusing on the man intensely as his deep voice rumbled a single word, "Wolves?"

"Aye, Sir…" the peasant man agreed, nodding his head emphatically. "It's possible."

"I have told you." Byakuya snapped impatiently. "I wish to be left alone…" Byakuya gasped in pain, a terrible agony ripping through his chest, into his stomach and arms. A strange smelled filled his nostrils, the scent pouring into his mouth like the taste of blood.

"It's almost nightfall, Master…" the second man hissed, his dark hair and dark eyes shining. "Perhaps we should prepare your meal…"

"I am not hungry." Byakuya said simply, pushing the unfamiliar scent out of his mind.

"And of the scouts, M'Lord?" the young peasant asked worriedly. "I might be able to recruit some able-bodied men from Muntenia…"

"If you wish to leave, do so." Byakuya spoke lowly, turning around to face the poor soul. "No one else will come to this place."

"But, Lord Byakuya…" the other man began slowly. "We think only of your safety…" He placed a crooked hand on Byakuya's arm pointedly. "There are still many of us who would die for the bloodline of Mircea the Elder…"

"Then you are foolish." Byakuya said, spinning on his heels. "And you will die for nothing."

"Where're you going, M'Lord?" the young peasant called after Byakuya.

"The forest." Byakuya answered.

"I'll get your traveling cloak…"

"I am not a helpless maiden." Byakuya snipped. "And I do not even feel the cold."

The two men had saddled Byakuya's horse quickly, the creature's breath snorting out of its nostrils like smoke. The glossy black mane and tail, the white bald-face markings on his face, his lush black hair, everything was in beautiful, stark contrast to the pure, white snow all around.

The men secretly likened their Master to the horse he climbed upon. He was also dark and beautiful, with pale skin and a dark aura. But unlike the horse, only when he truly remembered to do so, did smoke unfurl from his lips.

"Your crossbow, M'Lord?"

"No." Byakuya replied, adjusting his riding gloves, rather out of habit than necessity. "I would rather, my sword."

"My Lord…" the other began anxiously. "Perhaps we should accompany you?"

"To what end?" Byakuya asked. "Do you think your Lord so ill-fitted that he cannot end the life of a miserable wolf?"

"Of course not." He explained quickly. "I trust my Lord with my life…"

"Go inside." Byakuya instructed. "The weather is worsening."

The two men looked up at the darkening sky. The sun set in the far west and in the eastern sky stars shone brightly, not a cloud in sight. "Aye, Sir." They said obediently, rather curious as to what their lord meant.

A slight breeze fluttered through the trees, the frozen, frosted branches creaking under the pressure. Byakuya straightened on his horse, inhaling deeply, his eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the reins. "There's a child in the forest."

"A child, Sir?"

"Everyone knows, this forest is not safe, especially at night." Byakuya murmured, clicking his tongue in instruction to his horse. The horse began to canter through the trees, Byakuya's chest pressed closely against the animal and away from low-lying branches.

It was already too late when Byakuya realized _they_ were close enough to touch him. With great force they rammed into his horse, knocking the poor creature sideways into a tree. The horse made a terrible agonized noise and Byakuya's eyes narrowed furiously. He was able to catch himself before the horse rolled onto its side and he landed on the icy ground with a snarl.

"Do not touch my horse, filthy vermin." Byakuya said calmly, his heart beating slowly in his chest. Bum-Bum-pause. Bum-Bum-stop. He pulled his sword from his scabbard and shook his head. "I will cut off your hands for fouling my property…"

The horse panicked, slipping on ice as he tried to escape. Byakuya felt a momentary pang of fear and swallowed it quickly. "I will kill my own horse before I allow him to die at your hands."

Byakuya inspected _them_. They were an assorted lot, about twenty in all, all ages and genders, but each and every one of them was a monster. They were humans, or had been, but now their skin was translucent, sick blue streaks giving them the appearance of a ghastly sea creature. Their hands had become twisted and knobbed, their thick nails long and pointed for hunting. But the most terrifying feature they possessed, even more so than their black, vacant eyes, were their mouths.

Their mouths were stretched horrifically, several rows of razor-sharp teeth protruding past their lips. In his youth, Byakuya had read about a fish, half-way across the world that had a similarly strange mouth. And for a while he could pretend the problem was something altogether unconnected to him. But ultimately, these were the mountains of Europe and not some equatorial feeding ground. Humans were supposedly the top of the food chain.

"Lord Byakuya…" one of the creatures hissed. "You've left your fortress…"

"…Not a wise decision…"

"All alone in the woods at night…"

"…All alone, except for us…"

"…We'll rip you apart…"

"I want to eat!"

"I want his hands! I want his hands!"

"…Then… Then I want his guts…"

"It is one thousand years too early for you to challenge me." Byakuya appeared to shout, even though he didn't even need to raise his voice. "I do not care how many of you there are… There will never be enough to defeat me…"

Byakuya moved expertly, his sword slicing through three of the creature's bellies at once. Putrid, rotting intestine poured from their stomachs and into the snow. Steam issued as the warm organs and excessively foul blood melted the top layer of snow.

The creatures made their move, a group of five pouncing on Byakuya's horse. He turned quickly, his heart beating once, then twice in his chest. His sword pressed against the horse's neck and then, with a strangled cry, he lunged his blade into one of the creatures. "I told you not to touch my horse."

Searing hot pain exploded throughout his back as one of the creatures grabbed hold. He ignored the sting, slicing and cutting every single thing that dared to maim his horse. Once free, the horse struggled once more to stand. Byakuya lowered his weapon, placing his hand gently against the horse's muzzle. "Go home, Huzulei."

The horse stood at last, his heavy face knocking against Byakuya's cheek affectionately. And then the horse took off, kicking and snorting haphazardly through the forest. Byakuya rolled his shoulders backward, his hands reaching behind him and wrenching the creature away from his torn and bloodied flesh.

Byakuya turned and faced the twelve creatures, blood dripping into the snow beneath his feet. "You do not understand," Byakuya murmured, turning his sword over in his hands. "I do not fear death, not because I am brave, but because I cannot die…"

"I have killed you once before and I shall do it again… and again… and again…" Byakuya said firmly. "Such is my cross to bear."

"Eat…"

"We must eat…"

"Flesh…"

"Blood…"

"…Just a bite, my Lord…"

"Just a taste…"

"… We've become like this… because of you…"

A peculiar growl escaped Byakuya's lips and within moments the creatures fell to the ground, their blood spilling into the frozen earth. He wiped his sword on his ruined shirt and shoved it back in the scabbard. "Disgusting, filthy, vermin."

Byakuya sighed impatiently before looking around the forest. More creatures hid in the darkness. He could hear them scuffling around in the dark. He could smell the blood on their breaths. He could almost taste the fear and confusion that oozed from them like perfume. None had the courage, or perhaps desire, to face him.

And then the scent hit him again, stronger this time. It was a child, no doubt a female. The wind carried her scent for miles, and if Byakuya could smell her, then there was no doubt the creatures could as well. An eerie laugh filled the forest, _them_ , they laughed at him, mocked him and his inability to act.

"You have it wrong." Byakuya called out to no one in particular. He just wanted the horrible cacophony of laughter to stop. "I do not care. I protect my castle. Anyone foolish enough to enter this forest deserves death."

Byakuya leisurely began to walk, adjusting his torn shirt, dozens of eyes watching him. His boots crunched the snow underfoot noisily as he trekked aimlessly down an abandoned footpath. And then he disappeared, reappearing suddenly several yards ahead of where he stood moments before. He moved forward in such a fashion, crossing the forest quickly.

Byakuya stopped in his tracks, kneeling down beside the carcass in surprise. It was one of _them_ , and it had been obliterated. Byakuya exhaled in confusion, staring down at the mangled body with interest. Not once, never, had he managed to kill one. He realized the scouts had been correct, he needed to see this.

He examined the body, realizing with morbid fascination, that it had been eaten, by some large, vicious animal. Byakuya let out a breath, steam curling from his lips, his heart throbbing softly for several beats. "What is this?" Byakuya spoke aloud, his gloved hand brushing against the now frozen flesh of the creature.

A twig cracked about one hundred yards away and Byakuya's head snapped to attention. He scanned the forest, that peculiar scent hitting him again. His chest ached and he took an involuntary breath, surprise causing his eyes to widen. He stood quickly, swallowing the bitter taste of unease.

He ran toward one of the larger trees, running up the trunk and spinning around a large branch. He landed nimbly, one hand gripping a branch and the other tucking a strand of black hair behind his ear. He surveyed the area, his keen eyes discovering several of _them_ nearby. He ignored them, they were of no consequence to him, his interest, instead, was piqued by the unfamiliar scent permeating that part of the woods.

There was a Human. But she wasn't alone. The scent, the scent of blood and death, followed her, whoever she was. Byakuya inhaled deeply, his mouth salivating. He shook his head to clear it and pressed himself closely against the barren tree.

Moments later three people, two men and a female child, came into view. They were masking their own scents, but nothing could cover the absolute ecstasy of human blood. Byakuya swallowed silently, covering his mouth with his gloved hand.

"Hey, wait…" The larger man paused, his hand brushing over the other man's arm. Byakuya narrowed his eyes in bewilderment; he couldn't understand or recognize the language the man spoke in.

"What is it?" The white haired man asked, grabbing onto the girl's shoulder firmly. "Wait, Orihime."

"There's something here." The larger man murmured, looking around the vast white forest with interest.

"It's cold." Orihime complained, looking up at the white-haired man with large, brown eyes.

"I know." The white-haired one agreed, pulling her coat more closely around her.

"Stop talking…" The larger man groaned, shaking his head. "I'm trying to listen…" He sighed heavily, "What're you two thinking?"

"You'd be dead without us." A voice called down from the trees. "It's pathetic really."

Byakuya's entire body grew rigid. He looked up and to his right, searching the trees for the source of the voice. It took Byakuya several seconds to realize the man was not speaking to him. He felt a fleeting moment of anxiety, he was uncomfortable not understanding the foreigners.

"What are they?" The large man on the ground asked, ignoring the slight. "Are they like us?"

"The scent is off. The scent is wrong… somehow…" A disembodied voice whispered. Byakuya's eyes narrowed on the spot where he assumed a person should be standing.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The other man, a wild looking man with dark skin and red hair, asked as he lowered himself from the frozen branch. His beautiful long, red hair cascaded messily into his face as he walked forward.

"They're dangerous." The large man breathed, his hand tapping the hilts of his dual swords.

"That's what I was thinking." The redhead agreed.

"We're not in any danger." The mysterious voice said, rippling into view as his body took form. "They haven't even realized we're here." The ginger-haired man bent down into a squat, his arm wrapping around Orihime. Her cheeks burned brightly but he seemed not to notice. "It's her that they're tracking…"

"Hey, what's that?" The white-haired man asked, stepping forward to examine one of the dead creatures.

" _He's_ been here." The large man said softly, nudging the dead monster with his foot. He didn't seem alarmed by the presence of the creature and Byakuya found it rather curious. They were frightening- hideous and vile, after all.

Byakuya considered whether to expose himself or not. He didn't sense any mal-intent from the men, per se, but he certainly felt a peculiar sense of death lingering over them. And what about the obvious language barrier? He deliberated another few seconds before his mind was made up for him.  
"There is something…" The girl, Orihime she was called, looked up into the sky, her finger pointing directly at him. "It watches us."

The large man followed with his gaze, a smile crossing his face, a smile which told Byakuya that he had known he was there the entire time. Byakuya didn't return the smile. Instead he dropped to the ground in front of the men. The snow crunched violently beneath his feet as he straightened himself.

"Hello." The large man said in nearly perfect Slavic. "We're travelers…" the man began to explain, as if this meeting were the most natural thing in the world. "Where is the nearest inn?"

"There is no inn here." Byakuya replied in Romanian, watching the four men with interest.

"Ah, well, it's very cold." The man continued in Romanian, gesturing to the girl pointedly. "Is there any place we could stay? We have money."

"Have you not heard of this place?" Byakuya asked. "This is not a place for her kind."

The man opened his coin purse, pulling out several strings and holding them out in display. Byakuya shook his head curtly. He had seen this trick before, a lifetime ago it seemed, when a court sorcerer had managed to create money from a single string. The trick had earned him quite a reputation with the gathering, but all Byakuya ever saw was a worthless string. "Witchcraft is punishable by death."

"I doubt you're in a position to report us." The man said dryly, exchanging a look with the white-haired man. The white-haired man looked anxious, his hand tightly gripping the girl. Byakuya decided he didn't understand his language and, after his own incident, he silently took pity upon him.

"I have no obligation to offer my hearth to foreigners, especially foreigners who trespass onto my land." Byakuya determined. "However, these woods are very dangerous." A wolf pack howled in the distance as if on cue. "You may take shelter at my estate. In the morning I expect you and your party to move on."

"Thank you." the man said with a charming smile. "That's very generous."

Byakuya clicked his tongue in agitation and the other man smiled even wider. Byakuya cleared his throat and cut his eyes, "My home is this way. We will take this path; it is less dangerous than the one we currently travel."

The girl whispered in the strange tongue, the white-haired man murmuring in response. Byakuya listened curiously, his back turned toward them. The large man stepped forward, gesturing to his party and speaking in the same language. The group moved forward, following Byakuya through the woods.

Their breaths escaped through their noses and mouths and, by the time they reached the wrought-iron gate, the white-haired man and the child appeared to be frozen. Byakuya watched the other three; they took deep, heavy breaths and the sleet that fell melted against their skin instantly. Their skin was dark, tanned and they almost had the appearance of being feverish. And their scents, they weren't entirely human.

"M'Lord!"

"Master, you've returned…"

"Please prepare a fire." Byakuya instructed. "We have guests."

The two attendants looked at the group suspiciously. "Where on earth did you come from?"

"Where is my horse?" Byakuya asked, ignoring the exasperated looks on their faces. "Has Huzulei returned?"

"Yes, m'Lord." The ginger-haired peasant replied. "We tended to his wounds, Sir."

"Start the fire." Byakuya commanded, looking directly at the oily-haired man.

"Yes, my Lord."

"Come inside." Byakuya said, walking up the stone steps to his home. "I was not prepared for company, so you will have to excuse my-"

Byakuya's voice cut off the instant the large man's blade pressed between his shoulder blades. "I'm sorry about this," the man said. "But I have to destroy every piece of _them_."

"Them?" Byakuya asked curiously, making no attempt to escape. He looked up in surprise as the red-haired man dropped in front of him. He grabbed Byakuya's shoulders with scorching hot hands, pinning him in place. "You mean those in the forest?"

The girl spoke quickly, this time in Italian which he spoke almost fluently. "The heart! It's his heart! Stab him through the heart!"

Byakuya's eyes widened in horror, how could she know such a thing. And then with a delirious mixture of fear and relief, "You are Hunters…"

The man's sword pierced into his back and out through his chest. He let out a miserable gasp and his body slumped heavily onto the sword. The red-haired man's eyes slatted devilishly, strange snake-like scales spreading across his face. "No… what are you?"

"We are Hunters." The large man explained, twisting the knife. Blood poured from his wound and smeared across the ice beneath his feet. "I'll send Aizen your regards in Hell."

The man removed the sword and, as soon as the red-haired man released him, Byakuya crumpled to the ground. He coughed weakly, blood sputtering out of his mouth and across his deathly white face. Byakuya lifted his head upward, his eyes staring at the sky thoughtfully, "Who is Aizen?"

"Aizen…" the man said quietly, exchanging looks with the others skeptically. "He's the man who holds your contract. Your source of power…"

Byakuya laughed, a sickly, vicious laugh, that spread the heavy scent of blood into the air. "I am an ancestor of Mircea the Great, father of Vlad Dracul, grandfather of Vlad the Impaler…." A chorus of laughter echoed throughout the forest and the two men stepped away from Byakuya quickly. Blood oozed down his chest, pooling beneath his feet as he stood. The group of men searched the trees anxiously, each man gripping their swords tightly. Byakuya shook his head, his gloved finger pressing against his gaping wound. "And I received my power from the Devil himself."


	2. The Coven

**Part II: Coven**

Byakuya removed his gloves exposing his thin, pale hands. His nails were long and unusually thick and the tips appeared to be sharpened into dagger-like points. He tossed his soiled gloves onto the ground without care and then turned his attention to the larger man. "I invited you into my home…"

"Yabbe yabbe…" the larger man sighed, leaping backward with inhuman agility.

"I offered my hospitality…" Byakuya continued, removing his torn and blood-soaked shirt.

"Ichigo, grab Ukitake-san and Orihime…" the larger man barked his orders, his grey eyes never leaving Byakuya. "Take them somewhere safe."

"You have wounded my pride." Byakuya continued, his exposed white skin glittering in the starlight. "And I will eviscerate you for such insolence."

"Why is it…" the larger man questioned, stalling as the ginger-haired man spirited the two others away. "That everyone wants to eviscerate me?"

"My name is Byakwya Dragkwyla of the House of Drăculești." Byakuya said in introduction, walking down the bloody steps and into the snow. He gestured to the castle behind him. "You will die in Wallachia."

"I'm Shunsui Kyoraku of Edo..." The larger man said. "And I'm sorry, I can't die yet. I've got too much left to do."

"Shunsui," the red haired man breathed. "We have no idea what we're dealing with…" His tongue darted out from between his lips nervously, and Byakuya could swear it was the forked tongue of a snake. "We should retreat for now."

"I can't die." Shunsui muttered. "Not even when I want to."

"Shunsui!" the red haired man warned.

Byakuya was incredibly fast, before Shunsui could react, Byakuya had swiped his claw-like nails across his face. Shunsui cried out as his eye was gouged by a course thumbnail. Byakuya balled his fist and with a single strike Shunsui was knocked backward into the trunk of a tree.

Blood sprayed from Shunsui's mouth and nose and oozed profusely from the eye socket. With a groan he began to undress, leaving his clothes where they landed. His skin began to ripple and Byakuya rushed forward for another attack, intent on stopping him before whatever transformation was coming.

"Nuh uh." The redhead barked, his body whipping around rapidly. Byakuya barely dodged the winding tail-like appendage, sliding across the ice on his bare stomach. He rolled to his feet, his entire chest bleeding and raw.

"Yet again, you attack two on one?" Byakuya asked, arching a dark manicured brow. "How unsporting."

"It's not about fair." The red-haired man retorted, his tail twisting behind him. "It's about right and wrong. Good and evil…"

Byakuya scoffed, a burst of steam erupting from his lips. He shook his head and within a second closed the distance between the two of them. He knocked his head against the red-haired man's, the other man doubling over in pain. Without pause, Byakuya thrust his hand through the man's stomach. "You have no idea."

"Fuck… Shunsui… Do… something…" the redhead groaned, blood pouring from his lips.

 **AH-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.**

The overpowering stench of sulfur and death was the first thing to hit Byakuya. Every molecule in his body pleaded with him to run away. He released the red-haired creature and turned around anxiously. His teeth unrestricted, jutting from his mouth like senbon needles. He hissed subconsciously, his arms blocking himself as the gigantic wolf creature barreled into him.

Shunsui slammed into Byakuya, the slighter man smashing into the hard packed snow. Shunsui had transformed into an enormous black wolf and it snapped and growled, spit flying into Byakuya's face.

Byakuya pushed against the beast, lifting the front half of the wolf's massive body off of him. The wolf barked and snarled, drool and foam dripping down onto Byakuya. His face twisted in disgust, a murderous hiss escaping his lips.

The wolf's eyes widened in surprise and Byakuya chuckled humorlessly. "You are not used to losing are you?" Byakuya curled his fingers, stabbing his claws into the wolf's flesh. The wolf howled, doubling its efforts to tear into Byakuya's throat. "Can you not speak as you are?"

"What're ya doin', pup?" The redhaired man groaned, pulling himself to his feet weakly. He snapped a tree branch with ease, walking toward the other two slowly. "You got this or not?"

The wolf growled angrily and, with a sudden surge of effort, its claws tore into Byakuya's abdomen. Byakuya cried out, his teeth bared and stained pink. The wolf leapt off of him suddenly and without a second's hesitation the red haired man thrust the branch through Byakuya's chest and deep into the frozen earth. Byakuya coughed uncontrollably, blood gargling noisily in his throat.

The redhead stooped down, sitting on the ground in exhaustion. He examined his wound and clicked his tongue irritably. "This fucker got me good." The redhead looked toward Byakuya critically. "You were pretty strong."

The wolf howled loudly, circling Byakuya like downed prey. It sniffed his snow white skin, lapping at the blood issuing from his stomach. The wolf's head snapped up and with a growl the wolf backed away. It lay down on the ground, rubbing its muzzle with its paws as if injured. "Stupid dog…" Byakuya murmured. He rolled his head to the side, his body unmoving. His grey eyes met the redhead's and the other man looked away guiltily. "Stupid snake…"

"You're not dead yet?" the redhead mumbled, chewing on his nails absently.

Byakuya laughed humorlessly, his limbs moving all at once. He pushed up, like a table top, lifting his abdomen until he cleared the top of the branch. He stood up with a grotesque squishing sound, the branch still lodged thoroughly into the ground. "Uhhh…" the redhead scrambled backward, his back pressing against the trunk of a tree.

"I will return." Byakuya announced, walking up the stone steps to his castle. The red-haired man peered through the gaping hole in his abdomen in shock. Byakuya turned and waved his hand in a sweeping gesture. "And then I will kill all of you."

"He isn't a shifter and he isn't a Master…" The red-haired man breathed once Byakuya stepped inside the castle. He jumped into the air, swinging himself from the ground and onto a thick branch. "This has nothing to do with us. We need to leave."

"He's strong." Shunsui growled with effort, the bones of his arms snapping as he returned to his true form. He panted in exhaustion, his hand pressing against his healing eye socket. "What is he?"

"Don't know. Don't care." The redhead snapped. A strange feral grunt escaped his lips. "Let's go."

"Where'd he go?" Shunsui asked peering up at the gloomy castle.

"He went inside." The redhead answered.

"Why?" Shunsui asked, wiping his mouth with his arm.

"Like I fucking know!" the redhead barked. "It's time to go, Shunsui…"

"We can't lead him back to the others." Shunsui argued, shaking his head.

"He's as strong as a Master, if not stronger…" the redhead admitted. "This is above our level of skill… Maybe if Ichigo comes back or if we had Coyote…"

Shunsui bristled at the mention of Coyote's name. He looked at the redhead from the corner of his eyes and shook his head. "Coyote is carrying the weight of the entire world right now…"

"I know, I know…" The redhead said apologetically. "I just meant…"

The heavy doors to the castle opened and the young ginger-haired man stepped outside. He carried a large pail of steaming water. He forced a smile as he glanced at the two of them and poured the pail of water across the steps. The water rushed across the stone, steaming and washing the blood away.

Shunsui and the redhead exchanged curious looks. "Excuse me," Shunsui began unsurely. "Where did that man go?"

"Lord Byakuya?" the man asked. "He's inside, Sir." Shunsui nodded, silently watching the man as he cleaned up the entrance to the castle. Without another word the man scuttled back inside, the heavy doors slamming closed behind him.

"Fuck this shit, I'm leaving." The redhead murmured, shaking his head.

"Renji, you are not go-ing a-ny-where…" Shunsui ordered.

The two Shifters shared a nervous look and then with a sigh Renji conceded. "Fine."

"Should we go in?" Shunsui asked after several minutes of no activity, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "There might be more of them in there."

"Two humans." Renji counted, sniffing the air. "His scent is unique and I only smell it once. It's nothing like those things in the forest."

They stood side by side watching the clouds shift ominously in the sky. "A storm's coming…" Shunsui realized, sticking out his tongue and collecting a snowflake. "Orihime's going to be very cold."

"I can't stand much more of this." Renji exclaimed irritably. "I'm just going to go in…"

"Wait, I thought we decided… Oh, yabbe yabbe…" Shunsui jogged up the steps after Renji.

Renji threw open the doors and stepped inside the enormous foyer. The castle was clean and well-decorated, simple and tasteful, but the gloom on the outside carried into the interior. Portraits of intimidating men lined the walls and the floor space was littered with armor and swords on display. Shadows danced across a single wall, the rest of the house was completely dark, the only source of light was a roaring fire in the hearth.

"Hello?" Renji called out, feeling rather foolish.

There was movement beside the fire and Renji realized belatedly that Byakuya was seated in the armchair, wearing fresh clothes and holding an intricate iron goblet. He took a sip from his chalice, the copious red liquid staining his insipid lips. His grey eyes met Renji's and he wordlessly conveyed his displeasure at being interrupted.

Byakuya turned his attention back to the thick, worn book in his lap, turning a page absently with his left hand. Shunsui cursed under his breath and shook his head. "What are you doing? I do not understand at all…"

Byakuya lifted the book, holding it out in presentation. He pointed a manicured claw toward the title of the book, written in Old Church Slavic. "'Mysterious Devils and Other Foul Beasts'." Byakuya explained, lowering the book back into his lap. "You will have to forgive my curiosity. And your visit also coincided with my mealtime." Byakuya lifted his goblet and took a rather avaricious gulp. His eyes met Shunsui's and the briefest of smiles crossed his face. "But, as there is a storm settling over us, you are more than welcome to wait here, inside. I will kill you as soon as possible."

"This is our chance." Renji murmured, knocking his arm against Shunsui's. "Let us leave now. He has no desire to chase us."

"He has no desire to kill us either." Shunsui reasoned, walking further into the salon.

"Oh, I can assure you that is not true." Byakuya warned. "When it comes to my pride, there is no obstacle I cannot overcome."

"We made a mistake." Shunsui explained, approaching Byakuya slowly. "We thought you were someone or rather, something else…"

"If I had been _someone_ else…" Byakuya spoke tersely. "I would be exsanguinated on my doorstep."

"He's not what we're looking for…" Renji groaned. "Let's move on."

"No." Shunsui barked. Byakuya looked at him curiously, turning the page of his book idly. "The girl who's with us… She's a human. Completely mortal…" Shunsui explained. "And she cannot stand the cold. She will die. We need shelter."

"It is, simply put, not my problem." Byakuya retorted.

"You were kind enough to offer us hospitality. And we screwed that up. Please, I'm begging you… I… I'm sorry…" Shunsui stood directly in front of Byakuya. He kneeled down, looking up at the other man with pleading eyes. "You mentioned your pride; well I have pride too… And here I am… Please…"

"I wonder…" Byakuya said impishly. He extended his pale hand to Shunsui, his long, thin fingers almost touching Shunsui's face. Shunsui reached up, placing a kiss on the top of Byakuya's frozen hand. "Is this display enough to mend my aggrieved pride?"

"Please…" Shunsui beseeched.

"It is not enough," Byakuya said with finality, waving Shunsui away. "But perhaps," Byakuya continued, locking eyes with Renji. "… if it were the both of you…"

"Get over here." Shunsui ordered under his breath.

"Hell no." Renji refused in Aramaic.

"Do it for Orihime." Shunsui pleaded in Aramaic.

"He's not human. He's not one of us…" Renji shuddered as he spoke. "He's unnatural…"

"Do you realize how stupid you sound?!" Shunsui groaned. "Get over here… And you can consider me in your debt…"

"You're already in my debt, wolf pup." Renji replied.

"Fine then. I'm doubly indebted to you…"

"The storm is worsening." Byakuya said, more than a little irritated at not being able to understand the exchange. "Tick tock."

Renji cursed, releasing a stream of wild expletives as he crossed the room. He stopped in front of Byakuya and kneeled down. His brown skin flushed scarlet and he lowered his eyes in humiliation. "Fuck you, Shunsui."

"I'm sorry, Renji…"

"Please let us stay…" Renji muttered, placing his warm lips against Byakuya's proffered hand.

"Are you sorry for your behavior?" Byakuya asked, hooking Renji's chin with his finger and lifting his face upward.

"Absolutely… I certainly regret everything I've done today…" Renji growled through clenched teeth.

"Good." Byakuya said, releasing Renji's face. "Please, you and your friends are welcome to seek shelter." Byakuya returned his attention to his book. "I expect you to move on in the morning…"

"I will find Ukitake-san…" Shunsui announced, climbing to his feet. He crossed the room impatiently.

"I'll go with you…" Renji said pointedly, gesturing toward Byakuya with a disfavorable nod.

"A word of caution," Byakuya murmured dreamily. "You arrived at sundown. In the middle of the night, in the forest, it is an entirely different place."

"Those creatures…" Shunsui began unsurely.

"They grow stronger and faster and even more hideous…" Byakuya warned. He took a measured sip from his goblet and Shunsui no longer had any doubts that it was blood. "But even more worrisome than that is the Coven."

"The Coven?" Renji asked curiously.

" _People_ of my ilk." Byakuya said simply. "Numbering well over one hundred."

"But…" Shunsui looked toward Renji with concern. "I thought you said you could only smell one?"

"I could… I mean I can…" Renji shook his head to clear it. "I'm not Coyote… I'm not a tracker… I'm better than you are, at least… You could pull your own weight, pup…"

"They _will_ eat her." Byakuya lifted a finger, sliding it across his throat in gesture. "And then they _will_ kill the others."

"Will she be safe here?" Shunsui asked. "For the night?"

"For the night." Byakuya answered with a nod.

Shunsui's nails hardened, his hands burning as he fought his transformation. He rushed toward the heavy front doors but Renji beat him there. "I'm faster." Renji breathed. "I'll get to them first. You make a path for us."

"Got it." Shunsui agreed without hesitation.

"And Shunsui," Renji said quickly. "Ichigo's with them… He's an elder…"

Shunsui nodded anxiously. "Okay, yeah, you're right…"

As soon as Shunsui stepped outside he was able to tell that the creatures had nearly quadrupled in numbers. They had feared him and stayed away but there was no telling how they'd react now that they were under a pack mentality. Shunsui closed his eyes and focused on Renji's scent. He was almost a mile away already, but Shunsui could visualize his path like a blur of light.

Shunsui took a deep breath and undressed, kicking his clothes around the entryway of the castle. He kneeled down with a grunt, his bones snapping as they elongated and thickened. He whined in agony, his jaw dislocating and jutting forward, large, menacing teeth protruding from his darkening lips.

 **AH-WOOOOOOOOO**

The black wolf howled aggressively. It sniffed the ground, its muzzle pressed against the snow, before suddenly darting into the forest. It bolted through the trees, knocking icicles off the low handing branches. It followed Renji's potent scent, a permanent snarl issuing from its throat.

The creatures parted nervously, giving him a wide birth. With their strength, they could easily decimate entire human settlements. The wolf sniffed the air thoughtfully, its eyes narrowing distrustfully as a new scent filled the air.

Renji, with millennia of practice and a more apparent aptitude, increased his speed. He caught their scent, felt the murderous intent rolling off of them and knew he needed to reach Ichigo and the others quickly. "Ichi!" Renji shouted, halting his motion by wrapping his tail around the trunk of a tree. He swung awkwardly a moment, his stomach lurching and his vision blurring. "Ukitake-san…"

"Renji!" Orihime cried out, reaching out with wide arms.

"Where's…?" Renji began, his voice trailing off as he saw Jushiro on the ground below.

"Take Orihime!" Jushiro shouted in Japanese. His long, white hair had been pulled into a topknot. His obi was in tatters on the ground, his kimono shredded. He wielded his wakizashi expertly, driving it clean through one of the creatures.

"We're all going…" Renji insisted, helping Orihime onto his back. "We've got a new problem."

"Where's Shunsui?" Jushiro asked anxiously, sparing a moment from his unending opponents to search the forest.

"We're going to him." Renji said, swinging over the heads of the hungry creatures.

"Careful, Renji…" Ichigo warned. "Those motherfuckers can jump."

"Got it." Renji groaned, increasing speed. "I'm goin' ahead, Ichi…"

"Ukitake-san." Ichigo murmured, grabbing the larger man tightly. "My priority in this situation… is the child." He paused awkwardly. "I am indebted to her."

"She's human." Jushiro said in agreement. "Please, protect her at all costs."

"Then we're going to go fast…" Ichigo cautioned with a slight smirk. "I'm going to catch up to that stupid monkey…"

The edges of Ichigo rippled and the next moment all of him had disappeared from sight aside from his clothes. With a lurch Jushiro was wrenched forward, his entire body flexing and bending in ways he would have previously assumed impossible. He felt he might become sick from the rapid, jerky travel and was forced to clench his eyes shut tightly. He ignored the ominous salivating in his mouth and he tried to focus on other things. _Where was Coyote? Had he found a town large enough for the ceremony? How much longer would they be apart? How many souls had he collected for the Master? For_ _ **Aizen**_ _?_

There was a terrible screeching roar to the right and Jushiro dared to open an eye. A woman leapt toward them, Ichigo narrowly avoiding a collision. Ichigo cursed, his body rippling into view as he struck violently against the trunk of a tree. There was a terrible crack, his skull and neck fracturing on impact. He wrapped around Jushiro tightly, absorbing the shock as they collided with the frozen ground.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Jushiro groaned, struggling to free himself from Ichigo's deathlike grip. He stared down at Ichigo's bloodied face and swallowed. One of Ichigo's eyes was lidded, almost closed, and the other was wide open and blindly staring. "Ichigo?"

There was movement above them and Jushiro looked up, peering into the face of the seemingly flying woman. She smiled cruelly, pulling her pale skin tight. She giggled, like the tinkle of a bell, and then she leapt forward, continuing down the path after Renji. "What was that?" Jushiro asked aloud to himself.

Ichigo sat up with a rattling breath. He looked around with wide, confused eyes before pushing himself back to his feet. "I saw a woman…"

"She just took off that way." Jushiro said, pointing in gesture. "After Renji and Orihime."

"What happened?" Ichigo asked, grabbing his head with both hands.

"You hit the tree." Jushiro explained. "And then fell to the ground. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Ichigo said with a slow nod. "We need to hurry."

"You cannot carry me as you are…" Jushiro decided. "You need rest…"

"Don't be stupid." Ichigo murmured, grabbing Jushiro and tossing him over his shoulder defiantly. "I can carry a kid like you."

Ichigo didn't return to the treetops, he remained on the ground, sliding across the ice with inhuman agility. He skated quickly, nearly surpassing the speed he had achieved in the trees. "We're almost there…" Ichigo whispered lowly. "Shunsui's just on the other side of this-"

"What's the matter?" Jushiro hissed anxiously.

"I know this scent." Ichigo murmured, lowering Jushiro to the ground as he slid to a stop. "This isn't good."

"What is it?" Jushiro demanded. "Come on! I cannot stand this mystery! Just tell me."

"Vampires." Ichigo replied, licking his lips as he spoke.

"Vampires?" Jushiro repeated curiously. "Such things exist?"

"Of course." Ichigo said.

"Are they dangerous?" Jushiro asked, holding onto his sword boldly.

"One or two, no?" Ichigo explained. "But a whole Coven? Yeah, they're dangerous."

"But to shifters…" Jushiro began hopefully.

"Vampires have killed more shifters than any other creature on Earth." Ichigo murmured. He looked up at Jushiro with wide, troubled eyes. "Vampires have even killed Masters."


	3. Common Goals

**Part III: Common Goals**

"M'Lord…"

"Yes?" Byakuya sighed, looking up from his book petulantly.

"It seems we have trespassers…"

"I am well aware." Byakuya scoffed, looking at the ginger-haired servant with disbelief. "Do you think I do not already know? I daresay I have known since they first stepped foot onto my territory."

"But, Sir…" the man pressed desperately. "The guests…"

"They would never dare to hunt on my land." Byakuya said simply. "They haven't the nerve…" Byakuya pressed his clawed finger against his eye in annoyance. "What sort of Lord would I be if I was in a panic over every little thing?"

"As you say, M'Lord."

"I already gave you instruction." Byakuya said, looking at the man expectantly.

"Yes, Sir."

Byakuya tensed suddenly, his hand crushing the stem of his goblet. The nearly empty cup broke and crashed to the floor with a clatter. Blood swirled across the stone, soaking into the floor quickly. "They wouldn't dare…" Byakuya hissed to no one in particular. He shook his head and stood, the undeniable scent of blood luring him outside.

"M'Lord?"

"They wouldn't dare." Byakuya repeated, thrusting open the front doors of the castle. A blast of wind and snow whipped through his hair and over his clothes, blowing into the foyer. He left the doors open, snow and wind pouring inside of the castle, and walked down the buried steps.

Byakuya walked confidently, his head held high and proud. He ignored the dissenting hisses and growls as he made his way down the makeshift aisle of vampires. A few swayed on their feet, anticipating their chance to reach out and grab him. Byakuya stopped midway down the row, his teeth protruding from his mouth markedly.

Byakuya extended his hand wordlessly, staring down at the child with a vacant expression. Orihime looked up, her brown eyes searching him anxiously. Byakuya didn't smile, his hand remaining unwavering in mid-air. He turned his attention to Renji, who had wrapped himself around Orihime protectively. Blood poured from various wounds, his breath rattled in his chest and he could barely keep his eyes open.

The human child was unharmed. An unfamiliar sensation, something like relief, welled up in his chest and he cleared his throat to chase it away. He released a single breath, the steam blowing away quickly in the strong wind.

"Come." Byakuya commanded, his hand still offered.

"I can't leave my Papa…" Orihime whispered in Italian, her voice nearly lost in the storm. She gestured to the black wolf. The wolf was drenched in blood, mostly its own. And then Orihime pointed to the white-haired man in Eastern clothes. "Or my Daddy."

Byakuya shook his head, unable to understand, "Come, human." And, without further protest, Orihime placed her small hand in his. Byakuya lifted the child in his arms and turned, walking toward the castle.

"That human belongs to us."

Byakuya spun around quickly, his eyes glittering dangerously. "You have some nerve speaking to me, strumpet." Even though he was only average size he appeared to tower over everyone else. "I believe you know where my territory begins. It has remained unchanged for over four hundred years…"

"Of course, _Lord_ …" the woman muttered, emphasizing his title like a slur. "But," and the woman spoke loudly for all to hear. "Our Coven was attacked."

"It wasn't me." Byakuya said dryly, his lips twitching as if he might smile. "I haven't left home for the last two hundred years."

"A creature…" the woman continued furiously. "An animal of some sort…"

"When?" Byakuya questioned thoughtfully.

"Two mornings ago. We lost its scent when it crossed the river. But I can assure you, they reek of its scent!"

Renji turned completely around to look at Ichigo. Ichigo shook his head, still trying to catch his breath. "We haven't attacked anyone!" Renji shouted. "We're just passing through today."

"You are less than believable." Byakuya said, clicking his tongue. "You are an uncultured lot."

"It was a werewolf." The woman explained, hitching her finger toward the black wolf. "Just like that one."

"Were there fatalities…?" Byakuya asked slowly.

"Three." The woman answered. "And we will have our pound of flesh…"

"Oh, I most certainly agree." Byakuya said with a nod. "But, you see, these are my guests…" Byakuya shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around Orihime. "And it is impossible for them to have attacked your Coven, since they've only just arrived."

"Their scents are just the same!"

"You are on my land." Byakuya interrupted.

"You are harboring murderers of our clan!"

"You have shown aggression…" Byakuya continued.

"They are your kin, Byakuya! Have you no self-respect!?"

"Can you defeat me?" Byakuya asked, his low voice no more than a whisper. Everyone held their breaths anxiously as if he were shouting. "Can the soldiers you brought along defeat me?"

"Kugo will return soon…" the woman warned. "And when he does-"

"And when he does," Byakuya spoke over her. "Tell him to come and see me. Tell him to bring all of his friends; because the next time you encroach on my lands, I will assume you all want to die."

The woman hissed, raising her hand as if she meant to attack. Jushiro sheathed his sword, preparing to dash forward. He looked toward the wolf and shouted fearfully, "He's holding Orihime!"

There was a thunderous, animalistic scream and with a whip of his tail, Renji had slithered toward Byakuya and Orihime. His body stretched immensely, his skin spiraling into pale yellow scales. He wound tightly around the two of them, forming a protective cocoon.

Byakuya was stunned motionless for several seconds, his body cramped against the body of an enormous python. The creature lowered its head and Byakuya looked into its eyes with a combination of fascination and confusion. "What are you, you wondrous beast?" Byakuya breathed without thinking.

"Release me now." Byakuya commanded as he regained his senses, lowering Orihime to the ground. "Take the human and go inside."

Limbs grew from the side of the snake and hairy ape-like arms enveloped Orihime tightly. The creature slithered rapidly, bursting through the open front doors and out of sight.

Byakuya was disappointed to discover that the vampires had taken off during Renji's transformation. He shook his head once and turned away from the others. "Come inside then."

"I'm sorry," Shunsui said, shoveling the snow in search of his misplaced clothing. "We've caused quite a bit of trouble for you."

"It's no trouble." Byakuya said, waving his hand dismissively. "It's only war."

"E-excuse me?" Shunsui panicked.

"Oh yes. War." Byakuya said with a nod. He tapped his foot against the deep snow, above the buried stairs. "Your clothes are here, by the way…"

"Ah, thank you." Shunsui murmured, digging quickly.

"I do not own anything that will fit you…" Byakuya said, gesturing the others inside impatiently. "But you are welcome to a robe. Your clothes will be unwearable until morning."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Shunsui breathed, blowing into his hands.

"I will take your inability to kill me as proof you did not attack the Moldova Clan." Byakuya said quickly, walking toward his chair and sitting down. He tossed his legs over the arm of the chair, propping the book in his lap. He grew agitated, flipping through the pages in search of something.

"Well…" Shunsui began, holding his hands in front of his exposed body awkwardly. "I don't think so… I mean we do a fair bit of monster hunting, but I really don't think so…"

Byakuya slammed his book shut and with a groan threw his book against the wall. He turned in the chair quickly, leaning on his legs. "Tell me."

"What?" Shunsui asked.

"What are you?" Byakuya pressed. "I searched the entire book and I found nothing. You're not werewolves, not truly. And you," Byakuya looked at Renji with enrapture. "What on Earth are you?"

"We're shifters." Renji answered, his tan skin suddenly flushed.

"Shifters?" Byakuya repeated the word carefully. "Please explain."

"Wait…" Shunsui waved his hand in halting gesture. "First things first, can I have that robe? And secondly, if we're asking questions, what are you?"

"Vasile!" Byakuya called out.

The black haired attendant approached obediently. "Yes, Master Byakuya?"

"A robe for our guest." Byakuya instructed. "Perhaps some blankets as well."

"Of course, Master."

"Now tell me." Byakuya instructed, snapping his fingers in gesture. "Sit and talk."

"You first." Shunsui negotiated.

"I'm not sure this is wise." Ichigo whispered, pulling on Shunsui's shoulder as he spoke. "I know what he is. And he's very dangerous. We need to start planning how to get out of here…"

"Listen, I have no interest in harming you, in fact, it's rather the opposite." Byakuya explained.

"We need food." Shunsui admitted. "And we need rest."

"I will wait." Byakuya conceded. "Petru is preparing dinner. I wasn't expecting guests; you will have to forgive his lateness." Byakuya met Jushiro's eyes and he sighed, "Explain to your friend, he does not understand." Byakuya stood slowly, as if each muscle ached. "If you will excuse me, I must attend to my affairs."

The group watched Byakuya walk from the room in silence. As soon as he stepped outside they all released an unconscious breath. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" Jushiro groaned, pulling the tie from his hair.

"Coyote was here." Shunsui explained quickly. "It sounds like he killed some of those other guys…" Shunsui sighed, pinching his nose. "And they aren't too happy Byakuya wouldn't let them kill us."

"So, this man, is he an ally?" Jushiro asked.

"It's too early to say." Shunsui admitted.

"I think that's unfair." Renji argued. "We tried to kill him and he's letting us stay here. We couldn't have handled the situation outside without him intervening."

"They're vampires." Ichigo explained. "And the Council of Elders only fears two things, Masters and vampires."

"But they don't seem to know what we are…" Renji pointed out. "If we were sworn enemies, wouldn't they know us right away?"

"I don't know." Ichigo breathed, groaning in frustration. "But I'm making my stand known. I think we should leave at first light. We get out of here and we don't stop until we reach the Kingdom of Serbia."

"I second that." Jushiro said with a curt nod.

"There's no reason to stick around." Renji agreed.

"If three shifters can't handle those things… what about Coyote?" Shunsui demanded. "After the full moon, he'll be looking for us. What if he follows us back here?"

"From the sound of it," Renji whistled. "He's already run into them."

"Coyote isn't a warrior." Jushiro replied thoughtfully, absently stroking Orihime's carroty hair. "His strength lies entirely in his cursed hand."

"I can't force you to stay." Shunsui said simply. "You've helped us far more than I can ever thank you for… but I must stay. I can't abandon him."

"If you stay, I stay." Jushiro replied promptly. "The Daimyo insanely instructed us to hunt monsters and the opportunity has suddenly presented itself."

"And what about her?" Ichigo asked, nodding toward Orihime.

"I'm staying with my parents." Orihime said firmly. "I'm completely safe here."

"And how do you know?" Renji groaned, rasping his knuckles on top of her head.

"I can tell. I can sense things… My brother Sora taught me…" Orihime began to explain.

"Yes, I know." Renji interrupted impatiently. "Sora was wonderful. But why do you think you're safe?"

"Because this vampire won't hurt me." Orihime said with a nod.

"Yeah, what about the other ones? My back still stings where they scratched me." Renji asked, rubbing his back in complaint.

"They want to kill all of us. They're very dangerous, very black-hearted…" Orihime whispered portentously.

"Proving my point…" Ichigo murmured.

"Our vampire is stronger though." Orihime said, tapping her finger into the air as she spoke.

" _Our_ vampire? There is no 'our' vampire, Orihime!" Ichigo groaned, looking to Jushiro in exasperation.

"Papa said you don't have to stay," Orihime spoke slowly, her big, brown eyes meeting Ichigo's. "If you're scared."

"That's…" Ichigo trailed off, a strange blush settling into his peachy cheeks.

"Don't goad him." Shunsui chastised half-heartedly. "I'm not going to ask anyone to stay, but Coyote is our family." Shunsui gestured to Orihime and Jushiro. "And we take care of our family."

"Excuse me, Sirs…" Petru, the ginger-haired attendant, called out politely. "But dinner is prepared."

"Excellent." Shunsui said, shrugging his bare shoulders. "Any chance that robe is coming?"

"Ah, I have it right here, Sir." Vasile said, extending the robe in presentation. "And some blankets for the young lady."

"Follow me to the dining parlor." Petru instructed once Shunsui was covered.

The group followed the two attendants unsurely, walking through the unlit and gloomy castle. "So…" Shunsui asked curiously. "This is a castle, right?"

"Ah, yes, Sir. This is the Bran Castle," Petru nodded as he spoke, his pace slowing slightly. "I s'pose it's better known as the Count's Castle in these parts."

"Oh, your Lord is a Count?" Shunsui asked with a nod. "Is that about the same as a Vicomte? I'm still learning all these European nobility ranking systems…"

"What's going on?" Jushiro asked in Japanese.

"Small talk," Shunsui replied quickly.

"A Count is a bit higher than a Vicomte, Sir…" Petru answered.

"Where is everyone?" Renji asked, shuddering as they passed a particularly gruesome mural. "Shouldn't castles have a lot of people in them?"

"Ah, well," Vasile spoke up, tapping his fingers together. "You've come to the castle during a time of mourning." Vasile paused and pushed an oily strand of black hair behind his ear. "The Lady of the castle, the Countess Dracula has passed."

"Lord Byakuya sent everyone away for his period of mourning." Petru added. "It's just the two of us now. We manage the entire castle… And there are scouts, but, well, they never report to m'Lord directly…"

"Oh, how tragic." Shunsui said, shaking his head. "I didn't realize we had come at such a terrible time. The Countess, was she his mother or…?"

"His wife, the Lady Hisana." Vasile replied.

"I am sorry," Shunsui sighed. "Was it sudden or had she been ill?"

"I believe she had been ill for a long time, Sir. A weak constitution by all accounts…" Petru answered. "She was said to be… fragile…"

"She died before our time." Vasile explained. "We've only known the Lord as a widower."

"Oh, well," Shunsui said in surprise. "How did you come to work for the Count, then?"

"Born into it…" Petru said with a shrug. "Our families have been his attendants for almost three centuries now."

Shunsui and Renji shared a muddled look. "Wait, wait…" Renji shook his head. "You're not making any sense…"

"The Lady Hisana died two hundred and forty years ago." Vasile said matter-of-factly. "Since then our families have been taking care of this castle and our Lord along with it. My mother died last spring, my father two years prior. And we've never married…"

"Ah, I see." Shunsui said, looking at Jushiro thoughtfully. 240 years of mourning sounded rather extreme. And then Jushiro flashed a comforting smile, oblivious to the conversation, and Shunsui suddenly realized that even 1000 years of mourning could never dull such an ache.

"Was Lady Hisana a vampire?" Ichigo asked.

"No. A human." Petru stepped to the side and gestured the group inside a dimly lit dining hall.

Shunsui looked around inquisitively. It had once been a grand room and, even after centuries of disuse, maintained a certain charm. Deep scarlet tapestries draped across the walls. The tall, vaulted ceiling, much too high for a human to reach, harbored several decades worth of cobwebs.

"Will the Lord be joining us for dinner?" Renji asked, his hand trailing along the elaborately carved chair.

"M'Lord has an unusual diet …" Petru said uncomfortably.

"Lord Byakuya apologizes," Vasile said elegantly. "But the Count has already supped."

"Please, sit." Petru said, waving his hand. "I will gladly serve you."

"What's for dinner?" Orihime asked, scrunching up her nose as a pungent stew was ladled into her bowl.

"Smells good." Shunsui sighed, inhaling hungrily.

"Cabbage and skink stew." Petru announced, slopping a spoonful into Ichigo's bowl. Ichigo looked down at the bowl in dramatic horror before his eyes met Orihime's.

"Cannibal…" Orihime whispered, wagging her finger back and forth.

"I'm not a skink." Ichigo grumbled, poking his spoon into the stew suspiciously.

"I was only teasin'…" Petru said with a laugh. "How much meat can come from a skink? It's cabbage and chamois." Petru continued dishing the stew merrily. "Caught it myself this morning."

"It's not rabbit. It's not raw. Orihime didn't make it…" Shunsui ticked off on his fingers. "Life is good unexpectedly."

They ate in relative silence, their spoons scraping the bottom of the bowls. Petru refilled the bowls without even asking and Vasile never let their wine goblets empty. Renji ate more bread than anyone else, shoving it into his mouth hungrily. Shunsui sat back from the table with a groan, patting his belly in satisfaction. "Ah, man… That really hit the spot…"

"It's been weeks since we've had a real meal." Ichigo murmured, his cheeks stained pink from the excess wine.

"Yeah," Renji mumbled with his mouth full. "This's jus' grea'…"

"When you're done," Vasile announced. "I will escort you to your rooms."

"What did he say?" Jushiro sighed in defeat.

"He said it's bed time." Shunsui said, standing up and stretching his arms high above his head.

"I bet the beds are nice." Renji said, nodding at Ichigo excitedly.

"Anything beats the ground at this point." Ichigo said. "I've gotten spoiled by the Council. It's been a long time since I've had to rough it out in the woods like this."

"Brings back some memories, don't it?" Renji asked with a smile.

"Oh, yes, it does…" Ichigo agreed. "Mostly fun ones too."

"Remember the Colosseum?" Renji asked nostalgically.

"Some of the best fights of my life." Ichigo nodded, reminiscing. "And the after parties…"

"We used to make a fortune." Renji sighed. "Back when money mattered…"

"Guys…" Shunsui interrupted, clapping his hands together. "Let's get some shut eye." Shunsui cleared his throat and turned to Vasile. "Lead the way."

* * *

They spent the morning and most of the afternoon milling around the castle. "The Lord is not yet awake…" Petru had explained, dusting off a large marble statue of a beautiful nymph. He had brushed his rag across the statue's nipple, flashing an impish smile. "Please make yourselves at home."

"But the Count, he said we should move on in the morning…" Shunsui had explained unsurely.

"Oh, no, no…" Petru had breathed. "He would be most disappointed. Please remain here as our guest for the time being…"

Ichigo discovered a large, empty courtyard and, as soon as Renji found a ball, Shunsui and Orihime joined them in playing Pallone. Jushiro sat inside, staring out the frosted windows. He watched them contently, emptying his mind of all worries for the briefest of moments.

The sun had begun to set when the four of them returned indoors. Their cheeks and noses were pink, their faces still etched with innocent smiles. Petru served them dinner quickly before shuffling them into one of the parlors.

"Good evening…" Byakuya greeted them, his low voice rumbling. "Let us start over."

"Probably a good idea…" Shunsui agreed with a nervous chuckle.

"My name is Byakwya Dragkwyla of the House of Drăculești." Byakuya introduced himself. "You may call me Byakuya. I've long since abandoned the name Count Dracula."

"Dracula?" Shunsui recognized the moniker.

"Order of the Dragon." Byakuya explained. "I'm sure you are aware of my descendants- Mircea the Great and Vlad (the Impaler he is now called), amongst many others…"

"I am familiar." Ichigo said with a nod. "He was the ruler of a dynasty, nearly two hundred years ago…"

"Thrice he ruled Wallachia." Byakuya continued. "He was an efficient leader but has now become known only for his cruelty."

"They say, during his reign, all of Romania was a forest of the dead…" Ichigo explained, looking between Shunsui and Renji. "The less disturbing is his preference to impale his enemies and leave them to die on stakes. The Holy Roman Empire released pamphlets; apparently he would roast children and force their mothers to eat them. He would cut off women's breasts and feed them to their husbands."

"He was a hero." Byakuya said, his slate grey eyes sparking. "All of Romania and Bulgaria will say nothing short of that."

"What is going on?" Jushiro asked.

"You're better off not knowing, Shiro." Shunsui assured him. "Believe me."

"Your companion," Byakuya asked suddenly. "What language do you speak?"

"Japanese." Shunsui answered. "We're from Edo. We," and he gestured to Ichigo, Renji and himself. "Are able to understand every language we hear. Ukitake-san is human. He only speaks Japanese, Chinese and English."

"And the girl?" Byakuya questioned.

"Italian and Japanese."

"Let us speak Chinese." Byakuya said with a decisive nod, switching languages fluidly.

"You speak Chinese?" Jushiro asked, relief flooding over him.

"I have learned many languages in my long life." Byakuya said dismissively.

"I have just introduced myself. Please address me as Byakuya…" Byakuya explained. "I would now like to know your own names."

"Ukitake Jushiro." Jushiro said, bowing his head politely. "Samurai from Edo."

"Shun- uh, well, Shunsui is my given name, Kyoraku my family name." Shunsui explained.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Renji Abarai."

"And this," Jushiro said softly, patting Orihime's hair affectionately. "Is Orihime. She was orphaned and has been traveling with us for a little more than a year now."

"And there is one more in your party…" Byakuya said.

"Ah, yes…" Shunsui cleared his throat before continuing. "Coyote Starrk, the Vicomte of Nevers."

"Nobility…" Byakuya nodded his head approvingly. "And why have you separated?"

"It- it's complicated…" Shunsui said with a heavy sigh.

"You will explain." Byakuya said without question. "But as a courtesy I will speak first."

"You have correctly surmised that I am a vampire." Byakuya explained. "I am one thousand and four years old."

"I'm older." Ichigo muttered under his breath.

"I must drink blood to survive." Byakuya continued. "I have killed many people needlessly in my past and at my age I have many regrets."

"That's relatable." Renji whispered.

"I would like to be completely honest with one another…" Byakuya admitted. "Because there is something I must ask of you."

"If we are in a position to help, we will." Jushiro offered kindly.

"I am glad." Byakuya said with a nod. "Meeting you has rekindled my passion."

"Really?" Shunsui asked.

"Oh, yes." Byakuya enthused. "I had thought it was impossible. My hope is renewed."

"Hope for what?" Ichigo asked cautiously.

"I want to meet your other member, this Coyote Starrk." Byakuya spoke quickly.

"I… I don't…" Shunsui began in confusion.

"He killed three vampires." Byakuya explained matter-of-factly. "And I want him to kill me."


	4. The Boy

**_Part IV: The Boy_**

"Still!" the man barked, his large hands wrapped forcefully around the young boy's head.

The boy screamed and cried and bowled himself to and fro, but the stocky soldier held firm. A searing hot brand was pulled from the forge and pressed against the boy's face. The design blistered into his skin and he choked on his screams as the other cheek was treated to the same torture.

The boy grew silent, his throat raw, as salty tears streamed down his dirty, wounded face. The soldier gripped him tightly, wrapping his long, black hair around his hand. He took a sword and severed his hair close to the scalp. "Come."

The boy tripped, falling to his knees. He stared down at his bleeding hands, picking at the small bits of rock covering the open sores. The soldier grabbed him around the neck, hoisting the boy to his feet with absolutely no regard for his mortality.

Eventually the boy was pushed inside of a large, wooden cage. Over two dozen grown men and women had been forced inside, their faces all scarred in the same hideous fashion as their captors. The panicked villagers pushed and shoved, forcing the boy against the bars painfully. He grunted uncomfortably, pushing back against the others with all of his strength. The captives swayed on their feet as the cage began to roll, pulled by several enormous and wooly cattle.

It would be over a week before the boy would eat again. And the water they were served through the slats of wood was brown and salty to taste. The boy was so relieved to get out of the cage that when they were finally released he couldn't care less where he was sent.

He was stripped down and forced into a trough of water. The soldiers dunked him hurriedly, powdering his wet body and pushing him into another line. The powder had formed a sort of paste on his bare body. He didn't mind it; the paste seemed to relieve the horrible itching caused by flea bites.

He stood in line vacantly, no worry, no fear, no hope, nothing. He felt nothing. A man, with a scarred face, but not a soldier, grabbed the boy. He turned him every which way, inspecting him. He spoke to him gruffly, in a language the boy had never heard before. And then he handed him a sack, aiding the boy in pulling it over his head as clothing.

The boy was pushed again, this time toward a short woman. She grabbed the boy, her gnarled fingers digging into the flesh of his arms. She smiled, exposing two rows of blackened and rotting teeth. And then he was pushed onto a platform where he was paraded in front of a churlish crowd. They shouted and jeered, many raising bags of coin into the air.

A skeletal man with only a wisp of a moustache, stepped forward. He looked down at the boy with interest, his scarred face nearly pressed against the boy's. He spoke to the boy but the boy could not understand. The boy opened his mouth and the man popped his finger inside like a hook. He pressed his finger against the boy's tongue, against his teeth, against the roof of his mouth before pulling his finger out.

And then the boy was pushed off the platform and down a dirt road. The man walked behind the boy, every so often reaching his hand out and pushing the boy's head roughly. The boy stumbled and turned, his grey eyes narrowing in anger. The man laughed, shaking his head and carrying on incoherently.

The man grabbed the boy by his clothes, pulling him toward a small hut. The man shoved the cloth covering out of the way and pushed the boy inside. The boy fell onto his hands and knees. He opened his mouth to protest, his eyes darting around the dark and nearly empty hut.

The boy turned, and for a brief moment panic filled his belly. The man stood in the doorway, blocking the only exit. He fumbled with his cord belt, removing it impatiently. He dropped his worn trousers and plunged to his knees. He crawled toward the boy, his hand touching the boy's thigh.

The boy gasped and he struggled brazenly. He kicked out at the scarred man, noise escaping his lips for the first time in weeks. But the man quickly overpowered him, his fist striking the boy across his swollen, scarred cheek. The boy's head hit the floor of the hut with a thud and he resigned himself, his eyes closing tightly.

* * *

The boy, nearly six winters older, covered his mouth and nose with his tunic. He narrowed his eyes, the smoke stinging them. He walked through the village slowly, the strange feeling of elation fluttering around in his chest. He approached the scarred man's hut, the terrible stench of burning flesh and hair forcing him to double over. He moved the singed cloth, staring into the fire as if mesmerized. Inside was the man. Inside was the man and he was dead.

There was a shout behind him and the boy turned, his black hair spraying around his head like fringe. He looked up at the man on horseback; he eyed his bloodied weapons and his sweat-covered horse. The man held a battle-axe, a bit of bone and hair still stuck to the edge. The boy took a step back and then, as the man moved to approach, he smiled softly, his lips turning up at the corners delicately.

The boy was scarred, brands marring his otherwise smooth complexion, but the boy was also beautiful. The man, this warrior from another tribe, smiled. He lowered his axe and spoke softly, "You are spoils, no?"

The boy nodded obediently and took a daring step forward. He lifted his hand toward the warrior's horse and stroked its mane. The horse lifted its head, nearly knocking the boy off his feet. The boy laughed and pet the horse's broad-star.

"You come with me now." The warrior demanded gruffly, but, despite his words, his grip was gentle as he lifted the boy onto the back of the horse. The warrior kicked his horse with urgency, and the horse took off. The horse dashed through the burning village and the boy closed his eyes tightly, his hands wrapping around the warrior's armored waist.

The boy could ignore the screams. He could ignore the stench of death. He could ignore the warm blood splattered across the warrior's armor. He could ignore anything and everyone so long as he could survive.

The warrior met up with his army. They cheered deafeningly and the boy opened his eyes in curiosity. Several women from the scarred man's village had been taken captive. They were held together, the warriors herding them into a circle. And the boy shut his eyes.

That night the warriors camped just outside of the razed village. The supped on livestock and drank mead. They entertained themselves with women. And there was no end to the violent, sadistic games they played. But the boy was separate. He sat beside his warrior, and ate and drank alongside them. The warrior used his body, but for the first time the boy felt something akin to desire.

In the morning the boy was given a sword. The warrior laughed when the boy tried to lift it. The boy narrowed his eyes with determination, swinging it wildly to and fro. The warrior grabbed the sword firmly, his fingers bleeding onto the blade. "I teach you."

The boy nodded wordlessly, releasing the sword into the warrior's grasp. The warrior smiled, shaking his head. "How old are you?"

"I don't know." The boy admitted.

"Think." The warrior suggested, watching the boy intently.

"Fourteen." The boy answered after a short pause.

"Your name?" the warrior asked, twisting a strand of the boy's hair out of his face.

"I don't have one." the boy replied.

"What do they call you?" the warrior asked, shaking his head.

"Boy." The boy replied.

"Shuren." The warrior said, hitching his thumb into his chest.

"Shuren." The boy repeated.

* * *

Shuren clapped his hands together noisily and the boy sat up, hay sticking out from his messy hair. The boy watched Shuren, and when Shuren flashed a smile, the boy grinned from ear to ear. "That's good."

"But I lost." The boy said, climbing to his feet. He searched the hay for his sword and brushed his clothes off.

"You can't beat me." Shuren laughed, slapping the boy on the shoulder and sheathing his sword. "I am a warrior. You can't even grow whiskers on your face, boy…"

"I want to fight." The boy said defiantly. "I want to be a warrior too."

"Good, good." Shuren murmured. "You got better. You learn fast." Shuren brushed his large hand through the boy's hair. "You'll be a great warrior one day."

"Let's go again!" the boy pleaded. "Let me try again…"

"Yes." Shuren agreed with a nod. "One more time."

* * *

"Shuren…" the boy called out, waving his hand in greeting. "You're back!"

"I've returned." Shuren said, patting the side of his horse. He smiled kindly before dismounting. He gave the reins to the boy and ruffled the boy's black hair. He frowned, letting his hand rest on top of the boy's head. "You've grown."

"Yes. I've grown." The boy said, rubbing the horse down affectionately. "Did you kill many enemies?"

"Your voice…" Shuren said, letting his hand fall by his side. He watched the boy intently before answering. "I killed many."

"What's wrong?" the boy asked, turning around to look at Shuren.

"You're only sixteen winters." Shuren said thoughtfully. "But you're becoming a man."

"Of course I'm becoming a man…" the boy said with a laugh. "What else should I become?"

"Every man needs a name, boy." Shuren said, grabbing his horse by the reins and leading it to the pen. "And if they aren't given a name, they make one…"

"I- I'm just Boy." The boy said with a shrug.

"No." Shuren said gruffly. He turned toward the boy and his hard gaze softened. "Everything must have a name. Even my horse has a name."

"The horse is useful." The boy said.

Shuren raised his fist as if he might strike the boy, but instead he pulled the boy closer. He leaned down into the boy's face, his warm breath fanning across the boy's cheek. He stroked the boy's hair with his other hand. "Your name is Byakuya."

"Byakuya?" the boy asked, his grey eyes wide.

"It is fitting. It is just like you." Shuren said, releasing his hold on Byakuya.

"Is it a strong name? A warrior's name?" Byakuya questioned.

"It is your name. And you will make it strong." Shuren said simply.

"But what sort of name is Byakuya?" Byakuya pressed.

"Byakuya means winter night." Shuren explained. "And it's the beautiful sort."

* * *

"You must go." Shuren said despondently.

"Shuren…?" Byakuya breathed, looking from one man to the other in disjointed shock. "I don't understand."

"This is Ellac," Shuren explained, his gruff voice distressed. "He is honored general."

"I am Ellac, first son of Attila." Ellac said in introduction. He was a short man but unmistakably very strong. He had dark skin and small eyes with scarred designs mutilating his face.

"Son of Attila?" Byakuya murmured, dropping onto one knee. "Honored general."

"I have heard, you are very good with a sword." Ellac continued, removing his sword from its sheath. "Please, be so kind. Show me your skill."

"Shuren?" Byakuya looked toward the warrior in confusion.

"Do as General Ellac commands, Byakuya." Shuren instructed, handing Byakuya his own sword.

Byakuya took Shuren's heavy sword into his hands. The metal was worn and well-used. Shuren loved his sword. Byakuya nodded nervously, looking toward Ellac for further instruction.

Ellac swung his sword without warning, nearly crushing Byakuya under his weight. Byakuya groaned in annoyance, swinging Shuren's sword upward to block. Ellac smiled, slashing and hacking with brutal force. Byakuya countered, his bare feet spinning in the gravel as he turned.

"You're good." Ellac murmured, pressing forward with all his might. "Who taught you this way?"

"Shuren." Byakuya admitted, parrying a blow as he spoke.

"Your skill is beyond Shuren's…" Ellac countered, knocking his sword against the hilt of Byakuya's. Byakuya recovered quickly, tumbling across the gravel floor with a grunt.

"He has his own style." Shuren said quietly. He stepped to the side as Ellac barreled across the tent.

Byakuya moved swiftly, his blade grazing the underside of Ellac's chin. "Amazing," Ellac murmured, lowering his weapon. "You will do."

"I don't understand." Byakuya said, handing Shuren his sword.

"My father plans to wed soon." Ellac explained. "And I wish to provide a gift."

"A gift?" Byakuya repeated the word slowly.

"You are not Hun." Ellac said, brushing his thumb against Byakuya's Hunnic markings. "You are fair and handsome and brilliant with a sword."

"But I am going to be a warrior…" Byakuya argued, shaking his head in refusal.

"You are a slave." Ellac breathed quietly. "And I have already bought you." Ellac smiled grimly. "But if you wish to be a warrior, then come. You will have audience with King Attila!"

"There is no choice." Byakuya said in realization.

"No." Ellac confirmed. "Come with me now."

"I…" Byakuya looked over at Shuren, a peculiar empty feeling in his chest. "I go now."

"You go now." Shuren nodded, a strange gasping noise escaping his lips. He looked down at the ground quickly, his hands clenched at his sides.

"Without you?" Byakuya whispered.

"Without me." Shuren grunted, his voice even lower than usual.

"Thank you." Byakuya said, stepping toward the flap of the tent. "You saved my life."

"I was repaid." Shuren said.

Byakuya tried to turn around but Ellac grabbed him by the shoulder. "Come now, beautiful one…" Ellac said as he ushered Byakuya from the tent.

"Be brave." Shuren called out. "Be strong, Byakuya."

* * *

"Don't you like magic?" Ellac asked.

Byakuya nodded his head unenthusiastically. "I love magic."

"We employ the best sorcerers in all the land."

"It's lovely," Byakuya replied, staring at his hands rather than watching the sorcerer performing his tricks.

"I want to watch you dance." Ellac said.

"Dance, your Majesty?" Byakuya asked, turning to look at the prince.

"Yes." Ellac leaned forward, grabbing his father's arm. "Attila, would you care to see Byakuya's sword dance?"

"I have no sword dance, Prince Ellac…" Byakuya hissed into Ellac's ear.

"Yes, I know…" Ellac said with a laugh. "But I still want to see it."

"I should kill you." Byakuya threatened, sitting forward on his stiff chair.

"I want to see you," Attila requested. "Wielding your sword."

"Of course, your Majesty…" Byakuya breathed, narrowing his eyes at Ellac in anger.

"Conjurer…" Attila called out. "Clear the stage."

Byakuya stood up slowly, his breath squeezing from him in an instant. He walked slowly into the center of the simple open air court and stood. The musicians began to play, the ocarina filling the air. Byakuya unsheathed his ornamental sword, his clothing prohibiting much of his movement.

He removed his robe, letting the heavy silk fall around his feet. He stood in only leather britches. He shrugged his shoulders, widening his stance. And then he moved, his martial movements becoming like a dance. The ocarina's airy song continued and Byakuya wound his sword around his body. He balanced his sword along his arm before flipping it up into the air, catching it between his palms.

The court clapped excitedly and Byakuya 's pale skin flushed scarlet. He continued his dance until the ocarina faded away. He bowed and sheathed his sword, dipping down to retrieve his robe. He walked straight up to Ellac and stopped directly in front of his chair. "Did I please the Prince?"

"Completely." Ellac said with a grin. "You're a man of many talents."

"I am a warrior." Byakuya snapped. "Not a jester."

"Of course," Ellac agreed. "Which is why you're coming with us."

"I am?" Byakuya asked, dropping down in front of Ellac. "What's this I'm hearing?"

"You and me and my father…" Ellac explained gaily. "Are leaving tomorrow."

"You're taking me?" Byakuya's cheeks flushed.

"Yes." Ellac said, smiling indulgently. "We cross the Alps."

"East Rome?" Byakuya breathed excitedly.

"Yes." Ellac said. "We take Rome."

* * *

Byakuya consumed the raw flesh hungrily. The blood soaked into his hands and he felt a kind of frenzy. He tore into the meat voraciously, never minding the blood that dribbled down his chin and ran onto his armor. Every surviving and able-bodied warrior in the camp did the same.

"Lieutenant…" Ellac breathed, cradling his injured hand in his lap. "We won't win this time."

Byakuya grabbed another strip of raw rabbit flesh from beneath his horse's saddle. He met Ellac's gaze and Byakuya shook his head in refusal, "We must."

"Father is dead." Ellac muttered, fever setting in. "My brothers fight for the throne." Ellac's head fell back against the trunk of a tree. "Ardaric marches against me."

"You will be King in this life or the next." Byakuya said, nudging Ellac's shoulder impatiently. "I don't have time to coddle you. Be a warrior."

"You're right." Ellac said with a slow nod.

"Yes." Byakuya said simply, climbing to his feet. He extended his hand to Ellac, "Come now."

After feasting and watering their horses, the Huns returned to the fight. It was a bloody battle full of much brutality on both sides. Ellac was felled, by two swords and six arrows. He died valiantly, a death that even the great Attila would envy. The remaining force could do nothing but wait to die.

"You." the soldier barked, using his sword to lift Byakuya's chin. "You're his slave."

"I'm a lieutenant." Byakuya answered, cutting his eyes at the soldier furiously.

Byakuya's hands were bound behind his back and he remained on his knees in the mud as Ellac's entire army was slaughtered. Many of the men had been like family, and all had trusted him to the end. Blood swirled into the earth like wine and Byakuya clamped his eyes shut tightly.

"Come now." A general barked, lifting Byakuya by his bound arms.

Byakuya grunted in discomfort, his shoulders feeling as if they might burst at the seams. "I will die with my King." Byakuya said, shrugging out of the opposing general's grip. "I die with my army…"

"You come." The general repeated, pushing Byakuya toward the enemy's camp.

"Byakuya," Ardaric said, leaning forward in his chair as the general approached. "You survived."

"You killed the Huns." Byakuya said. "But I have not surrendered."

"Your skill is mine now." Ardaric said. "You join my army now."

"I refuse." Byakuya uttered.

"You can't." Ardaric barked. "You're not Hun. You're slave."

"I am a warrior." Byakuya seethed.

"You're still a boy." Ardaric said dismissively.

"Ardaric, I wonder," a Roman man said, stepping forward audaciously. He was from the Western Roman Empire and had been friendly acquaintances with both Attila and Ellac. "If he is a slave, might I buy him?"

"I'm not for sale." Byakuya barked.

"His skill, his thirst, his exotic splendor…" the Roman man gushed. "I will pay any price."

"Any price?" Ardaric murmured. "How about the throne of the Hun?"

"Any price." The Roman agreed with a nod. "It is yours."

"I say that I'm not a slave!" Byakuya shouted. "I'm not for sale!" Byakuya's entire body shook with anger. "I die with my king. I die on this battlefield."

"You're coming with me." The Roman said, gesturing to his own attendants. "We leave for Western Rome immediately."

Byakuya was hoisted from the ground, two men pushing him from Ardaric's tent. He struggled in vain, kicking and dragging his feet whenever possible. He let out a feral scream as he was forced into a cage. He beat his arms against the transport, backing up and running, throwing himself against the iron bars. But it was no use. Once again he was trapped, he was caged, and on his way to a strange, new place.

* * *

"That's incorrect." Aetius reprimanded, striking Byakuya's hand with a switch. "That is the letter 'A'."

"They look the same." Byakuya complained, rubbing his hand irritably. "It not matter. Huns don't read or write."

"It does not matter!" Aetius groaned in exasperation. "Not 'It not matter'. Speak properly!" Aetius anticipated Byakuya's reaction and shook his finger preemptively. "You are no longer a beast. You are no longer a heathen. You are a Roman."

"I don't want to be Roman." Byakuya protested.

"Fine! You want to go live outside with the pigs? You want to eat your raw meat and grunt like a Godless savage? Go on then! Go on!" Aetius shouted. "You Huns and your nasty habits… Why, even the Moors are leaps and bounds above your whole lot!"

"I go now?" Byakuya asked hopefully, standing up.

"No!" Aetius groaned. "You stay now. By God's divine power, I will turn you into a proper human being…"

* * *

It was the summer of his twenty second year when Flavius Aetius passed. The days were long and warm, and comfortable. A strange calmness had surrounded the Magistrate's home and Byakuya knew at once that Aetius had died.

Without a word, Byakuya had run away. He took the most dangerous routes, where the Roman soldiers wouldn't be on patrol. It had served him well until suddenly, in the middle of winter, it didn't. "Stop and empty your purse."

"I don't have any money." Byakuya said, turning out his pockets. His breath unfurled from his lips like steam and his hands shook as he spoke.

"Give us your weapons then." The barbarian ordered, his voice muffled by the cloth that wrapped around his head.

"I don't have any weapons." Byakuya admitted.

"No money, no weapons…" the barbarian hissed, looking at his two companions. "We must have something."

And suddenly the barbarian was on top of Byakuya. He sliced his cheek open with the tip of his knife and Byakuya grunted in anger. Byakuya's fist connected with the barbarian's stomach and the man doubled over in pain. Byakuya twisted the man's hand, wrenching the knife from his grip.

"I will kill you." Byakuya threatened, wiping at the copious blood flowing from his wound.

"Kill him!" the barbarian ordered.

The two other barbarians lurched forward. Byakuya threw the barbarian's dagger forcefully, striking one of the men in the heart. He ran forward and slid across the snow, ripping the knife from the man's chest. The third barbarian fell upon him, right onto his associate's blade.

Byakuya rolled the man off of him and climbed to his feet, grabbing the dying man's sword. He looked at the first barbarian and a strange smile flit across his face. "I'm glad you stopped me." Byakuya admitted, his lips shivering in the cold. "I was growing listless."

The barbarian retreated immediately. Byakuya stood stunned for a few moments and then decided to give chase. That man had meant to kill him. That man was a danger to every good and noble Roman.

The barbarian began to shout in his native tongue and Byakuya understood it well enough. He was warning others. Byakuya gripped onto the barbarian's sword even more tightly, running as fast as he could after the fleeing man.

The barbarian ran straight into a camp. Byakuya panicked for only a moment before realizing the camp was nearly all women, children and the infirm. The barbarian stopped and lifted his hands pleadingly. "No, no. Please stop. I'm sorry."

"You would have killed me." Byakuya breathed, taking two steps for every step backward the barbarian took. "I see no reason you should live."

"I was wrong." The barbarian cried out. "I was just trying to feed my family." The barbarian dropped to his knees pleadingly. "You… You're Roman… You're a good Christian, am I right? Take pity on us!"

"I am not a Christian." Byakuya hissed. "And I am not forgiving."

"Please, my family will starve…"

"No, they won't." Byakuya swore, plunging the sword through the man's throat. He wrenched the sword free, watching as the man's blood poured into the snow, like water from a faucet.

And then Byakuya did something that he would truly come to regret, for the rest of his life. He massacred the entire encampment. Women, children, the elderly, everyone was felled by his stolen sword. He robbed the corpses and gathered supplies, the stench of the dead nearly sickening him.

He didn't make it far before the realization hit him. He had killed countless times, thousands of men had fallen to him. He was a warrior. But he had never murdered an unarmed man, let alone a woman or child. He sank onto his knees in the snow.

A strange panic came over him and he gasped for air. Hot tears streamed from his eyes and he couldn't breathe. Byakuya choked, crawling forward on his hands and knees. He collapsed into the snow and cried, his entire body shaking violently.

It was night before he could move. His entire body hurt, his skin raw and red from the wet and the cold. He saw nothing in the pitch blackness. He started to cry again, completely alone and emotionally overwhelmed. He searched the ground for his supplies, finding only his sword.

"It was a mistake." Byakuya groaned aloud. "I didn't mean to…" He rocked back and forth until he could no longer bare it.

He held his sword in his hands, immediately and completely thinking of Shuren. What had happened to Shuren? Had he perhaps married? Had children? Did his wife wait for him to return from battle? Was Shuren still alive? Had Shuren been under his command at some point?

And then all Byakuya could see was the steaming snow and the children's warm blood drenching the frozen ground. He could smell death. He could hear their mother's pleading for mercy, speaking in an unknown tongue. "I'm sorry."

Byakuya thrust himself forward without hesitation, skewering his neck over the barbarian's sword. He choked noisily, the unbearable pain causing his eyes to bulge. His arms and legs twitched rapidly and he fell onto his side. His body rolled for a few more seconds and then it moved no more. His last agonized breath escaped his lips and his lids fell over his grey, unseeing eyes.

The boy was dead.


	5. The Deal

**_Part V: The Deal_**

"I became a vampire in my twenty-third winter." Byakuya explained. "I took my own life with a stolen sword. I understand now, suicide is a precursor of much agony."

"That's how you became a vampire?" Ichigo asked quietly. "Because you committed suicide?"

"Yes." Byakuya confirmed, nodding his head. "I woke up in very much the same state that I died. I was alone, with blood on my hands. But when I woke up, I felt no cold, only a gut-wrenching thirst. I walked for miles, this mouthwatering scent in my nose and I discovered a farmhouse. The farmer was butchering his sheep, the scent was fresh blood. I nearly fainted I was so thirsty…"

"I was an animal in those early days. My tribal affinity for raw flesh had morphed into only consuming blood." Byakuya admitted. "I drank and killed in excess. I had discovered upon waking as a vampire that I was strong. I was the strongest man in the world…" Byakuya laughed. "It felt good to have so much power."

"How did you learn what you were?" Jushiro asked, listening intently, his brows furrowed.

"The first time I saw my reflection I knew." Byakuya explained. "When I was a _boy_ ," Byakuya said the word as if it contained a curse. "My face was branded by the Hun." Byakuya's hand smoothed across his own cheek quickly, "Every marking, every scar was gone."

"I will go ahead and tell you; most of these European superstitions are absolutely untrue." Byakuya added. "I am not a Christian. I was born into a Pagan tribe and I never converted while I was in Rome. Religious artifacts cause me no harm."

"A stake through the heart?" Renji questioned.

"A stake alone will not kill a vampire." Byakuya said, shaking his head slowly. "There are two ways I know of to kill a vampire. Both methods you must decapitate the creature, preferably with a gravedigger's spade, and then pierce its heart, you must then bury the corpse either face down or at a crossroads."

"What about garlic?" Ichigo asked. "I was told that worked."

"It certainly works, but it won't kill us." Byakuya explained.

"And does the sun cause you harm?" Jushiro questioned. "I realize you have a rather unusual schedule."

"The sun doesn't bother us. The creatures in the forest, the ghouls, they are affected, but they are weak…" Byakuya expounded. "A full vampire is only nocturnal by nature, isn't most evil committed by dark?"

"This is very interesting and all, but I think we need to stop." Shunsui interrupted. "Why do you deserve to die? And why do you want us to kill you?"

"I cannot kill myself." Byakuya said slowly, as if Shunsui couldn't catch on. "It involves too many steps that I cannot complete while incapacitated."

"I… I understand that…" Shunsui groaned. "What I mean is, isn't there a coven of vampires willing to do the job? Or maybe even your attendants…"

"I was a warrior." Byakuya said firmly. "I was meant to die in battle and that was taken from me." Jushiro met Byakuya's gaze and a silent understanding passed between them. "I do not wish to surrender myself to my enemies. If you would only imagine the sort of humiliation they would consign on me. And even then, would they kill me? Or would they shove a rock between my teeth and bury me in stone, unmoving and very much alive for millennia…?"

"That's horrible." Renji breathed.

"Yes, it is." Byakuya agreed. "But that is the vampire culture."

"And now that I've explained my position, I believe it is your turn to speak," Byakuya said, eyeing Shunsui pointedly.

"Well, I guess Ichigo should go first, he's the oldest." Shunsui reasoned.

"This young boy is the eldest?" Byakuya asked, his teeth pricking his full, bottom lip. "Fascinating."

"I'm even older than you," Ichigo said proudly, his lean chest puffing outward. "I was born in Mesopotamia, the 'Land Between Rivers'." Ichigo scratched the back of his neck as he spoke. "I was an Assyrian Babylonian by birth. I was lucky enough to be born to a physician. I was beginning to learn his trade…" Ichigo cleared his throat. "I met my Master during Akitu. Which was a large festival celebrating the barley harvest, I suppose it's like Easter and New Year day rolled into one big party…"

"My mother died when I was young. And my Master lured me in with the promise of seeing her again. Obviously it was a terrible mistake…" Ichigo breathed, his peachy skin paling.

"I must interrupt." Byakuya said apologetically. "Your Master? Were you a slave?"

"That's exactly what we are." Renji muttered, crossing his arms.

"We call them our 'Masters'. But in reality, I have no idea what they really are. They are an ancient race." Ichigo explained. "They feed off of the darkness in the human soul. They consume it like you consume blood. But they aren't able to walk freely; they are only able to materialize one day a month, with the full moon."

"Fascinating." Byakuya breathed, nodding his head with interest. "And you are not the same?"

"No, we are called shifters." Ichigo continued. "Every shifter signed a contract with a Master. A piece of the Master's body, called a wolf strap, is placed inside of the shifter…" Ichigo paused, unsure of how much was too much information to give away.

"And your powers… do you each turn into animals?" Byakuya questioned.

"Yes. With the exception of Coyote and Shunsui, every single shifter has different abilities." Ichigo looked toward Shunsui. "They share a Master, but the Master's other shifter is not a wolf."

"I never thought of that before…" Jushiro said, looking at Shunsui curiously. "Why is that?"

"Are you asking me?" Shunsui asked, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know…"

"What is the purpose of your transformation?" Byakuya continued.

"The Council of Elders hasn't come to a mutual decision…" Renji said in a mocking tone.

"I believe…" Ichigo explained. "That once we signed the contract, we opened ourselves up to evil. Much like your suicide caused you to be reborn a vampire. I think it's a side effect from the wolf straps tainting us. Because our job as contract-holders is to collect human souls, we don't need to shift to be able to do that."

"So you think your humanity is being twisted?" Byakuya asked, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

"It's done twisted." Renji muttered. "Damage is done."

"And what about you?" Byakuya asked, turning toward Renji. "What sort of creature are you? And you, Ichigo?"

"Chameleon."

"I'm a baboon." Renji said, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "And a snake."

"Why two?" Byakuya probed.

"Because I signed two contracts…" Renji groaned, covering his face with his hands.

"Are Masters bad?" Byakuya asked suddenly. "To feed off of human darkness, it seems rather benevolent, really…"

The three shifters looked at Byakuya with mortified expressions. Ichigo shook his head slowly and Renji grumbled in dissent. Shunsui cleared his throat before speaking, "They're sadistic. Their power is nearly limitless. With every contract they make, a piece of their bodies is present on Earth…"

"Every race has good and evil…" Byakuya said, looking into Shunsui's eyes pointedly. "Sometimes the evil voices create the most noise."

"Nah. They're all evil." Renji barked. "And we are going to destroy them all."

"Which returns us to my original point, gentleman." Byakuya spoke up suddenly, straightening in his chair. "Perhaps we could help one another. I help you kill a few of these 'Masters' and you help me kill myself… It's more than fair…"

"I don't know…" Shunsui breathed, looking toward Ichigo and Renji.

"How much of a danger is the Coven?" Ichigo asked. "If we were to leave right this second, could we make it to Serbia?"

"It is a long walk to Serbia." Byakuya said simply.

"And?" Ichigo pressed.

"And," Byakuya said tersely. "The Coven will quickly hunt you down."

"Fuck." Ichigo groaned, leaning back in his seat.

"I wish to die in my home." Byakuya said with a nod. "Or else I would offer myself as your guide."

"They'll give up eventually right?" Renji looked from Ichigo to Byakuya expectantly.

"I have issued a challenge." Byakuya sighed in apparent boredom. "They will return with their strongest members and fight."

"So we are in danger whether we run or not…" Ichigo said.

"I assure you," Byakuya snapped. "I am fully capable of protecting my guests."

"Can you really face a Coven and win?" Shunsui asked.

"Why do you cower so?" Byakuya leaned forward, his grey eyes sparkling. "Where is your sense of adventure?"

"Orihime is mortal." Shunsui breathed. "You wouldn't understand…"

"Oh." Byakuya growled, his teeth protruding threateningly. "I understand. If you are foolish enough to love a mortal, then there is a price you must pay…" Byakuya's nails pressed into his palms, blood trickling down his fingers. "I have paid that price time and time again… It is you who wouldn't understand…"

"I apologize…" Shunsui murmured regretfully.

"It does not matter." Byakuya said dismissively. "Water under the bridge. Let's come to an understanding. You cannot leave safely. I am now at war with the Coven. Which is your fault entirely, gentlemen. You will stay and I will assist you in battle. We eliminate the Coven. You are safe and alive and indebted to me…"

"And as repayment we kill you?" Shunsui conjectured.

"We understand one another." Byakuya said with a nod.

"How about this," Renji suggested. "We fight the Coven. Problem solved. Then you help us take down the Masters."

"How many Masters? That could take centuries." Byakuya quizzed.

"As many as we can kill in 10 years." Renji replied.

"Two." Byakuya negotiated.

"Seven."

"Five, final offer." Byakuya hissed.

"Five." Shunsui interjected. "We kill as many Masters as possible in five years' time. And then, we give you what you want."

"We shake on it." Byakuya said simply, extending his hand toward Shunsui. "Deal?"

"Deal."

* * *

Orihime covered her mouth, stifling her uneven breath behind her hand. She pushed open the door to her right and crept backward inside the cold room. She looked around hurriedly, searching for somewhere to hide. She slid under the bed, moving the heavy, ruffled duvet to the side.

She nearly soiled herself, the dread and anticipation growing in her belly. She closed her eyes, letting out a tiny squeak as she heard the approaching footsteps. Her entire face scrunched up as she tried not to make any sounds.

"I've got you…"

Orihime's skin prickled, her hair standing on end. She gulped involuntarily, feeling faint. The duvet moved to the side and two large hands grabbed her. She shrieked in panic, kicking and flailing with all of her might.

"No!" Orihime screamed, releasing her voice at full volume. "No!"

"You're coming with me…" Jushiro grunted with effort, wrestling the girl's arms to her sides. "Do as you're told, Orihime!"

"I don't wanna…" Orihime cried out, shaking her head in refusal.

"It's just a bath!" Jushiro exclaimed, sighing with incredulity. "And you are going to take one, young lady…"

"Would you like assistance, Ukitake-san?" Ichigo asked, peering into the room curiously.

"No, I'm fine… I've got this…" Jushiro muttered.

"It sounds like she's being murdered." Ichigo said with a shrug.

"I am!" Orihime shrieked.

"Child." Byakuya said sternly, addressing her in Italian as he walked into the room. "You are being ridiculous."

"I don't want to take a bath!" Orihime complained. "It's cold! It'll give me pneumonia."

"I do not care." Byakuya breathed, looking at the young girl with a vacant expression. "As long as the screaming stops, you could catch the black death, as far as I'm concerned…"

"Oh, now…" Jushiro clicked his tongue awkwardly.

"Do not coddle this child, Ukitake-san," Byakuya said simply, switching to Chinese. "When a child is spoiled the whole world suffers for it."

"I'm sorry we disturbed you," Jushiro apologized. "We will try our best to stay quiet from now on."

Byakuya nodded in approval before walking toward the closet. He opened the doors slowly, presenting a wide array of very handsome women's clothing. He turned toward Orihime and the suggestion of a smile appeared at his lips. "You may have whatever suits your fancy."

"Really?" Orihime asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes. Of course we will need to call a tailor. You're a gangly child, but somehow still thick in the middle…" Byakuya critiqued.

Orihime laughed freely, wrapping her arms around Byakuya's waist tightly. "Oh! Thank you! Thank you! How wonderful!" Orihime stepped back, twirling happily. "I lost all of the dresses Coyote had made for me in the fire…"

Byakuya looked rather stunned by the contact and Jushiro and Ichigo nearly laughed out loud. They shared a knowing look and each smiled along with Orihime's happiness. "That is very kind. Thank you," Jushiro said with a nod. "We don't have many belongings. We move around constantly."

"I wasn't always a Count," Byakuya divulged, suddenly somber. "And now I see how much _stuff_ I have acquired. Sometimes it doesn't feel like I am still living the same life…"

"Where did you get all these pretty dresses?" Orihime asked, hugging a rather old-fashioned dress to her chest with adoration.

"They belonged to my wife." Byakuya said, his eyes darkening. "She has little use for them now."

"Where is your wife?" Orihime asked, blinking her eyes curiously.

"Orihime," Jushiro chastised. He switched to Japanese, scolding her, "We discussed this. His wife is dead. Don't be cruel…"

"My wife was a human, like you…" Byakuya explained. "And she died peacefully, at home with the people she loved most."

"Did you have kids?" Orihime asked, ignoring Jushiro's silencing glare.

"I have had children. Two boys, a very long time ago." Byakuya explained. "But I did not have children with Hisana."

"Where are your children?" Orihime questioned persistently.

"Dead." Byakuya answered slowly. "Even my children's children are gone. They both died long before I met Hisana."

"Were they human?" Orihime continued.

"No," Byakuya shook his head, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on his jacket. "They were both dhampir."

"What's a dham-"

"A half vampire, half human." Byakuya explained before Orihime could even complete the question. "Their mothers were human."

"How many times have you been married?" Orihime demanded, placing her hands on her hips in indignation.

"Once." Byakuya said, suddenly brushing his clawed fingers through her carroty hair. "And now you must bathe. We have not forgotten…"

"Oh, man…" Orihime whined.

"That dress is the only one of its kind." Byakuya said, gesturing to the dress Orihime still clutched. "You shouldn't wear it while you smell of dog."

"Yes, Sir." Orihime said with a nod, laying the dress down on the bed carefully. "I'm ready for my bath."

"Thank you…" Jushiro sighed in relief. "It's probably cold now…"

"Child." Byakuya called out, his low voice rumbling.

"Yes?"

"While you are staying here in my castle," Byakuya began slowly. "You may visit this room as often as you like. The dresses are yours. There are many things of value inside the boxes and drawers…"

"Oh, no, I don't think that's a good idea…" Jushiro refused.

"Vasile and Petru will have no use of women's things." Byakuya countered. "And I won't take anything with me, when I go."

* * *

Jushiro opened the thick curtains, letting the dim winter sunshine into the room. "It's so dark." Jushiro peered out into the unending frozen land and sighed. "And everything is dead."

"Yeah, well, we aren't…" Renji muttered, peering around Jushiro's shoulder to look outside. "Small victories."

"Vampires sure do take their time." Ichigo complained from his spot on the bed. He lay staring up at the cloth covering of the four post bed, his sock-covered foot kicking against the post idly. "If we're supposed to be taking down a vampire clan," Ichigo insisted. "Daytime is the best time."

"He's sleeping." Shunsui said firmly, his lofty voice suddenly serious. "And we should be too. We need to match his schedule."

"I still don't like this idea." Ichigo murmured, draping his arm over his face anxiously. "I feel responsible as the eldest… if something goes wrong, it's my fault…"

"You may be older than I am," Jushiro said with an indulgent smile. "But you're just a child in body… I don't think I can ever see you as anything else…"

"Ukitake-san…" Ichigo groaned, closing his eyes.

"We need to find out more about him." Orihime said quietly. "When I first saw him, his heart was black and dead. I thought for sure it was a wolf strap…"

"Oh, Byakuya?" Jushiro nodded with realization.

"Yeah." Orihime said simply. "Sora used to tell me about a man he once met-"

"Is this relevant?" Renji asked, cutting her off.

"Yes!" Orihime barked. "It is! Meanie!"

"Go on, Orihime…" Jushiro urged gently.

"My brother said he met a man once who had a black, cold heart. The man came to him to be healed, but Sora couldn't do anything but give him blood; Human blood, in fact. The man consumed it and left town shortly after…" Orihime shivered as she spoke. "I always thought he meant it figuratively, but no, that man has a black, cold, dead heart…"

"He is capable of kindness." Jushiro said, looking out the window thoughtfully. "So perhaps it doesn't matter what sort of creature he is…"

"He said something along the lines of 'no creatures are all bad' or something…" Ichigo remembered, his brown eyes staring blindly toward the wall.

"It would help to know who we're dealing with…" Renji suggested.

"I don't think you're wrong," Shunsui said. "Just don't get attached."

* * *

"Byakuya…?" Renji spoke quietly, his knuckles rasping against the frame of the door.

"Yes?" Byakuya looked up from the book he was perusing, the hint of a smile ghosting across his lips. "I'm sorry, I am coming down. I got distracted…"

"Oh, it's no rush. I just finished eating early and decided to look around the castle a bit…" Renji explained in one breath.

"I could have Vasile take you on a tour. If you so wish." Byakuya suggested.

"Well, that is kind, but don't you know more about it?" Renji asked, arching a tattooed brow.

"This castle has passed through many hands." Byakuya explained. "Until recently this was a Hungarian stronghold." Byakuya sighed. "I don't participate in politics. I find the subject unsettling. I simply go with the flow of time…"

"You're deflecting…" Renji accused, smirking.

"I am not." Byakuya scoffed.

"Yes, you are…" Renji crowed, bouncing up and down on his bare feet. "You could just say that I intimidate you and you don't wanna give me a tour…"

"Intimidate?" Byakuya repeated the word in shock, his pale hand lifting to his throat. "I most certainly am not…"

"I'm just teasin'." Renji said with a laugh. He winked, fidgeting in place. "Don't eat me."

"I don't eat people." Byakuya clarified. "I simply bleed them dry to quench my unending thirst." Byakuya suddenly appeared behind Renji, his pale arms reaching around him. He squeezed Renji's shoulders, dipping the collar of his shirt off of his neck. He pressed his cold lips against Renji's tanned, broad back. "And I don't even have to kill you to drink… sometimes I do it just for the pleasure…"

"Whoa." Renji exhaled, a strange mixture of panic and exhilaration mixing in his belly. "You're fast."

"Yes, I am fast." Byakuya agreed, releasing his hold on the shifter. "And thirsty." Byakuya tapped a clawed finger against his lips, his teeth jutting from his mouth. "I will have my dinner and then we will begin our war plans."


	6. Naive Sensibilities

**_Part VI: Naïve Sensibilities_**

"What about me?" Jushiro asked, his stomach churning uncomfortably.

"The humans will stay here."

It was simple enough, and to be fair, the majority of the room had agreed, but the moment it escaped Byakuya's lips Jushiro's face twisted in anger. "There is no way. I am a warrior."

"You do not understand…" Byakuya almost laughed at the preposterousness of Jushiro joining the battle. "Vampires are too powerful for a human to kill. A single vampire, perhaps, but not attacking a whole coven…"

"Ukitake-san…" Shunsui grumbled, shaking his head. "It wasn't an insult, you are human…"

"I am a samurai." Jushiro explained, standing up as he spoke. He unsheathed his katana. His green eyes met Byakuya's in challenge. "I don't need supernatural abilities. I have my own talent."

"Why you…" Byakuya sputtered under his breath. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed.

"I can fight." Jushiro said simply, tying his long, white hair up into a topknot. "And don't you dare patronize me, Kyoraku-san…"

"Aww, man…" Shunsui groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Let's get back on topic…" Ichigo attempted, waving his hands pointedly.

"Can you swordfight, Byakuya?" Jushiro asked, nodding toward the fine collection of swords hanging on the wall.

A humorless chuckle finally did escape Byakuya's lips. He stood up wordlessly, his hands curling at his sides. He looked Jushiro up and down, walking slowly toward the weapon rack. His clawed fingers trailed along the scabbards until he had selected the weapon of his choice. "I conquered empires before your great-great-grandfather's grandfather even learned what his cock was for."

"Damn it." Ichigo growled, standing up quickly. He pressed his hands against Jushiro's chest in frustration, pushing him farther from Byakuya. "Stop it! Are we really going to weaken ourselves before battle? Are you both stupid?"

"The human won't be able to put a single scratch on me…" Byakuya insisted. "And he's not going with us."

"Ukitake-san and I are a team," Shunsui said suddenly. He looked from Jushiro to Byakuya somberly. "We go together."

"You are selfish." Byakuya hissed. "And it will get you into trouble one day," Byakuya's lips quivered between words. "If it hasn't already…"

"I will show you my skill." Jushiro said, raising his arm in presentation. "I will earn my place."

"Do not interfere." Byakuya ordered, eyeing each shifter. "If you do, I will make you suffer in unimaginable ways."

"Oh, I don't know about that…" Renji breathed. "We've all had our fair share of trauma."

"Well, you have not had me…" Byakuya took a strange, uneven breath after he spoke. His eyes widened and his head tilted. He eyed Renji with apprehension before turning back toward Jushiro. "I respect your gumption. But now I will destroy you, it would be unkind of me to hold back."

"And I respect that." Jushiro agreed, nodding his head politely. "I trust you'll fight with honor."

"I fight like a human, with my own natural talent." Byakuya said, a smile twisting his lips. "And sometimes there is no honor in that."

Jushiro had no time to respond. Byakuya lunged forward, his sword slicing Jushiro's forearm. Jushiro's eyes darkened and he shook his head. He twisted to the side quickly, narrowly dodging Byakuya's second strike. With practiced ease and beauty, Jushiro drew his second sword, shoving the wakizashi into the space Byakuya had occupied seconds before.

"You're slow." Byakuya commented, his low voice rumbling behind Jushiro.

Jushiro threw his sword backward, gripping the blade and striking Byakuya in the face with the hard metal hilt. Jushiro spun around, flipping both swords expertly. He thrust them forward, barely missing his target. "You're cheating, Byakuya. Humans aren't that fast."

"Yes they are." Byakuya breathed, his tongue darting from his mouth to taste the blood dripping from his nose. "You just showed me that."

"I thought I was slow." Jushiro retorted, smiling tightly.

"I was wrong." Byakuya admitted.

Jushiro lunged, Byakuya parrying the blow easily. Byakuya sliced his sword against Jushiro's chest and Jushiro's sword pierced into Byakuya's shoulder. Jushiro was hit with a powerful swing, nearly collapsing to the ground. But then Byakuya was on the defensive, hardly able to keep up with the speed of the dual sword attack.

"You are good." Byakuya conceded, pressing Jushiro back toward the wall.

"But you are better." Jushiro groaned, hitting the stone wall with a thud. He blocked Byakuya's next attack, his lungs nearing their limit. He suppressed his cough, his cheeks puffing outward.

"Of course I am better." Byakuya said dismissively. "That was not the point of this exercise."

Jushiro was pierced with the tip of Byakuya's sword. He cried out, a cough ripping from his throat. He doubled over, his entire body shaking from the force. Byakuya withdrew his sword, sheathing it. He watched Jushiro struggle for air wordlessly, his grey eyes taking everything in.

"I can still fight…" Jushiro gasped, attempting to stand upright.

"We're done." Byakuya said simply.

"I am not done…" Jushiro exclaimed. "I can do more."

"Ukitake-san," Byakuya sat down in his chair. He looked around the room and gestured with his hand. "Let's revise the plan."

"You are including me now?" Jushiro asked, wiping his mouth exhaustedly.

"Yes." Byakuya agreed. "You most definitely can serve a purpose."

"And what purpose is that?" Jushiro asked hesitantly.

"You're a talented swordfighter. Although you are human, you can regenerate…" Byakuya ticked off on his fingers. "And very importantly, you carry my lifeline with you at all times…"

"What do you mean?" Jushiro questioned.

"Your blood." Byakuya explained dryly. "You can heal any injury right? Then it shouldn't matter if I need to drink every last bit of your blood."

"But that also means we're supplying our enemies…" Renji argued.

"They have legions of living, breathing humans to feed on." Byakuya replied, waving his hand in dismissal. "In that regard, I am the one at a disadvantage."

"He's not going…" Shunsui shook his head adamantly. "Not if his purpose is to feed you…"

"I will go." Jushiro said defiantly. "I will fight. And when I can no longer fight, I will serve another purpose…"

"I don't-" Shunsui began.

"Get to decide…" Jushiro finished. "It's my decision…"

"You will fight alongside me." Byakuya informed. "It will be very dangerous. Your skill must match your determination. If we are defeated you should expect to be tortured."

Shunsui's face rippled, his fingers curving into mangled, ugly claws. He shook his head and snorted, his brows held tightly. Byakuya watched curiously before continuing to speak. "We should all expect to be tortured for the next millennia. It is quite an incentive to win, don't you think?"

Jushiro placed a hand on Shunsui's shoulder in support and Shunsui visibly relaxed. Jushiro cleared his throat before speaking, "Losing isn't an option."

"We won't lose." Renji said confidently. "Every single one of us has seen Hell and crawled out of it."

"And no offense to your skills, Byakuya," Ichigo interjected. "But you haven't even seen a third of what _we_ can do."

"My, my," Byakuya murmured in amusement. "Such virile passion you all have."

"I want to kill every Master." Shunsui said simply. "I want to eliminate that horrible mistake from the world. And we need your help to do it… If I have to kill a nest of vampires before we can move forward, then I'll kill an entire nest of vampires."

"I wish you would reconsider your goal." Byakuya said unexpectedly. "I think the situation is far more complex than your understanding."

"Reconsider your half of the deal, then."

"I refuse."

"Yeah, me too." Shunsui breathed. "I _will_ kill every single Master."

* * *

"Why are you watching me?" Renji's mouth opened, almost comically, and he sputtered in explanation. Byakuya merely laughed, placing his broad-tipped brush down beside the parchment. He studied the drying ink critically before nodding in approval. "It's called calligraphy."

"It's pretty." Renji commented.

"It is pretty." Byakuya agreed, a smile hinted upon his lips.

"Where'd you learn to do it?" Renji asked, approaching to inspect the words more closely. "Is it hard?"

"I learned it many ages ago, in the Western Roman Empire." Byakuya explained. "Of course, back then it was only done in Latin. But Latin is so old-fashioned. Now it can be done in any language I choose. I was born speaking Gothic, so I choose to write in Gothic when I do calligraphy. It helps, so I don't forget…"

"You speak a lot of languages." Renji said.

"So do you." Byakuya replied.

"Yeah, well, that's different." Renji shrugged. "It's part of the curse. It's not a talent or nothing…"

"The true curse is being unable to understand everyone else around you." Byakuya said seriously. "The fear is inexplicable."

Byakuya rearranged the papers on his desk. The two men shared each other's silent company for an extended time before Byakuya spoke again. "Your kind… what can you tell me that hasn't been explained already?"

"Uh, well," Renji clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "I don't know."

"You do not know?" Byakuya arched a thick brow. "There is nothing special about you?"

"Not really."

"Do you eat humans?" Byakuya questioned.

"We can." Renji confessed. "When we're transformed."

"But humans are not your regular diet?"

"No. We eat normal food. Sheesh."

"What about social interactions? Do shifters live with groups of other shifters?"

"It depends. The Council of Elders all live together in this mountain place… but most shifters are pretty shady… they live alone… Of course, Ichigo and me have been together for quite some time. We separate every so often, but it's really more on than off…"

"Breeding?"

"B-b-b-breeding?" Renji sputtered. "Uh…"

"Yes. Do shifters breed with other shifters, humans, or masters?" Byakuya questioned. "Please keep in mind; This is all for science. It will go into the book I am writing."

"Oh, well," Renji groaned. "Shifters don't breed."

"Never?" Byakuya's eyes narrowed with curiosity. "There is no copulation?"

"Well, there is…" Renji's tan face turned scarlet. "But, uh, there's no babies… ever…"

"How can you be sure?" Byakuya pressed.

"Masters, shifters…" Renji paused uncomfortably. "They, uh, all…" Renji shook his head. "There's only one female shifter, ever… In the history of shifters… It's strange but true. No one knows why she was picked. But Masters, shifters, they all seem to be attracted only to other males…"

"Wow." Byakuya's eyes opened wide. "That is fascinating." Byakuya sat back in his chair. "I thought I was misunderstanding something, but Ukitake-san and Shunsui are…"

"Yeah." Renji answered with a knowing nod.

"Really?" Byakuya covered his mouth, a spry smile twisting his face behind his hand.

"You're…" Renji paused, rethinking his choice of words. "You're really different than I thought you'd be."

"Oh?" Byakuya sobered up, looking Renji up and down. "And how is that?"

"You're not a raging asshole, for one…" Renji laughed, shaking his head. "And for another, there is something about you… I don't know, but, it just seems like you're… I don't know…"

"You don't know, a lot…" Byakuya pointed out.

"You just aren't asking the right questions…" Renji argued half-heartedly.

"When you mate, do you remain in human form?" Byakuya asked so suddenly Renji thought his heart might stop.

"I…" Renji couldn't form a coherent thought.

"I'm very curious about it." Byakuya admitted, shuffling his papers absently. "Monkeys and snakes are both in the Kamasutra…"

"I'm a man," Renji explained breathlessly. "Just normal body parts and such…"

"But are partial transformations possible? Could you, say perhaps, hang upside down from a snake tail but still retain the proper sexual organs of a human male?"

"I can't believe you can ask me that…." Renji exhaled. He shook his head, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. "Aren't you embarrassed? Oh my God…"

"I have five years left to live." Byakuya explained simply. "And I suddenly met a brand new specie. I don't have time to coddle your innocent, naïve sensibilities… I do assume you've fucked before…"

"Yes." Renji confirmed quickly. "But it's you… You just don't seem like someone who talks like that… Such crude language… You look so damn fancy and proper…"

Byakuya opened his mouth to reply and then changed his mind. He turned away from Renji focusing instead on his stack of papers in front of him. Renji was about to apologize when Byakuya finally spoke, "A man feels no embarrassment watching a bull fuck a cow. I simply viewed your situation as the same."

"Wha-" Renji growled. He took a step back, watching the victorious gleam in Byakuya's eyes. Byakuya waited for a further reaction and Renji refused to give in. "That's fine. I'm just gonna go now. I've been wanting to check out the art gallery Petru told me about…" Byakuya looked thwarted, but he simply nodded as Renji walked away.

* * *

"So who are we dealing with?" Shunsui asked, watching Orihime fighting sleep on his lap. He brushed a strand of her ginger hair off of her face and sighed. "Who's the leader?"

"The leader of the Moldova Clan, for the last two hundred years, is a vampire named Kugo Ginjo." Byakuya explained.

"What do we need to know about him?" Shunsui asked.

"He's strong. He's intelligent." Byakuya paused in thought. "And his coven is exceptionally loyal to him."

"And I take it you two weren't on good terms before the Coyote incident?" Shunsui said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"I led the clan for nearly four hundred years." Byakuya explained. "It was easy at the beginning. I killed everyone who defied me. I made enemies but no one dared confront me…" Byakuya hesitated. "But then I stepped down, of my own free will, of course…"

"So there's bad blood there." Ichigo said with an understanding nod.

"Yes, there is bad blood between us." Byakuya repeated. "Now, covens are loyal to the death. No matter what, do not take pity on them. It will only come back to haunt you."

"So we wipe out the entire coven at once. Got it." Renji confirmed.

"I think you are all underestimating the enemy." Jushiro warned. "Not too long ago we were nearly wiped out by the Quincys. And we had Coyote to help us…"

"Panicking serves no purpose." Byakuya reasoned. He looked deep into Jushiro's eyes and suddenly the entire room realized that his confidence was a bluff. "We must win, and that is that."

"But can we win? Do we have a chance at all?" Shunsui asked agitatedly.

"I cannot say for sure…" Byakuya said with a humorless laugh. "When I challenged the coven I was fully prepared to die… I did not consider death a consequence at the time…"

"Fuck." Shunsui spat, letting his head fall back against the couch.

"Well, I don't plan on losing." Byakuya said with a snarl. "Do you?"

"You're insane…" Shunsui muttered. He looked around at the others, shaking his head. "He's insane, isn't he?"

"I'm completely mad." Byakuya agreed. "But as soon as I pick up my sword, I feel no pain, or sadness, or insanity, no love, no loyalty..." Byakuya leaned forward in his chair. "I lose all thought but one; survival."

"80% of survival is sheer luck." Ichigo said. "But I'm going to kick some ass with that other 20%."

"And that is the true test of power." Byakuya spoke quietly. "What are you willing to give up to win?"

"Anything." Renji answered.

"There's little pride in immortality." Byakuya explained. "Such wretched existences we live." Byakuya looked toward Shunsui pointedly. "Humans are such fragile, broken creatures… it's no wonder we stumble and fall, wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't think the world is all bad." Shunsui countered. "We've all had our weak moments…"

"To err is human…" Byakuya quoted with a frown. "Then why are some humans tormented so? Why are there vampires? Why are there werewolves? Shifters?"

"Masters created shifters." Shunsui argued. "The world didn't."

"Then who created vampires?" Byakuya asked, his grey eyes sparkling in the dim light.  
"Why do some people die by their own hand, but I walk the earth as the undead?"

"Life is not fair." Shunsui snapped.

"No, it is not. That is what I have been saying…" Byakuya smiled triumphantly. The smile was out of place on his solemn face, almost disturbing. "Sometimes nothing is good or fair. Sometimes a person's life is so wretched that they should never have existed in the first place…"

"We're off topic again." Ichigo interrupted.

"Ah, yes, I apologize." Byakuya said with surrender. "I just get frustrated with Mr. Kyoraku."

"Me?" Shunsui barked, narrowing his grey eyes.

"Your nature itself is an insult to your company." Byakuya spat. He leaned forward in his chair, his claws curling into the palm of his hand. "You're the strongest person here. It is infuriating just watching you! Denial is like poison."

"I have no idea what you are speaking of…" Shunsui breathed, his eyes wide with confusion.

Anger rippled across Byakuya's handsome face and then, suddenly, it was gone. He leaned back against his chair and sighed. "You are not like your friends. And until you accept your duty to lead them, you will always be seized by fear… Fear of failure, fear of loss…"

"There's no way…" Shunsui explained, a strange feeling of realization settling in his stomach. "I'm still under contract. I haven't been a shifter for long at all…" But as soon as he spoke the words he knew it was just an excuse. Somehow he knew he was the strongest. He shook his head and shrugged noncommittally. "There are better people to lead."

"Better? Maybe." Byakuya said calmly. "Stronger? No. More capable? No."

"But we've strayed from the current situation," Byakuya said suddenly. "We must finalize our plans. Ginjo should return to the Coven soon, no longer than two weeks. He is returning from a feeding. He will be unbelievably strong. In that regard, perhaps I should feed. Vasile and Petru won't be enough… I must leave the castle…"

"How close is the nearest village?" Shunsui asked.

"A night's walk." Byakuya murmured. "It is a hostile place. You will find no welcome."

"They don't like vampires, huh?" Renji asked, nodding.

"No, they do not." Byakuya confirmed. "And they regard all strangers as a threat."

"Do they pose a threat?" Shunsui pressed. "Do you need to find somewhere else to feed?"

"I'm thirsty." Byakuya admitted. "I could be overwhelmed…"

"I'll go." Renji offered before he had even processed his own thought.

"What?" Byakuya asked, his head tilting slightly in surprise.

"I-I I'll go with you…" Renji explained nervously. Byakuya's gaze was nearly paralyzing. "I can protect you… ya know… while ya feed… or…"

"That's a good idea." Shunsui said with an approving nod.

"It is?" Renji asked, looking around the room.

"I won't leave Jushiro, Jushiro can't leave Orihime, Orihime shouldn't go…" Shunsui explained. "And Ichigo doesn't fight unless he has to."

"Agreed." Ichigo added. "You're strong. And if you come across any problems, you're the easiest to track. I could smell you a hundred miles away, monkey…"

"Yeah, thanks, bastard…" Renji mumbled in offense.

"I wasn't aware I had asked for 'help'…" Byakuya said, staring at Renji.

"You're welcome." Renji shrugged, childish triumph spreading his face into a smirk.

"I most definitely did not thank you." Byakuya hissed.

"Words aren't necessary." Renji teased, nodding his head mockingly. He touched his hand to his chest. "I feel your intentions here."

"The only intentions you will ever feel from me is the undying sense that you are a failure…" Byakuya claimed. "And probably, also, that you are an idiot…"

"I told ya, words aren't necessary…" Renji said dismissively, waving his hand.

Byakuya opened his mouth to respond but decided against it. He shook his head and turned stood. He turned his back on the others, storming toward the door. His entire body was rigid and unyielding, but Renji swore he saw a smile twist Byakuya's handsome face.

"We're leaving in an hour." Byakuya barked. "We will have to walk. My horse was injured earlier, and I will ride no other."

"Got it." Renji answered quickly.

"Oh my fucking God!" Ichigo cried out when Byakuya left the room. "Vampires!"

"What?" Shunsui asked, eyeing Ichigo like he was being irrational.

"He can't sit still long enough to finish discussing the plan. He just goes off. Every. Single. Time.!" Ichigo pointed out.

"There's definitely something strange about him." Jushiro agreed.

"Shifters who live alone always go a little nutty…" Renji said. "They're harmless for the most part. I'm sure it's the same for vampires."

"Be careful out there." Ichigo warned. "His only goal is to die. I'm not sure you can trust that sort of person."

"He's odd." Shunsui agreed slowly. "But he's trustworthy. I can feel it in my gut." Shunsui looked down at Orihime sleeping in his lap and swallowed. "I think he's been lonely for so long that he doesn't know what to do around other people…"

"I can't think of anything worse than being all alone in the world." Shunsui breathed.


	7. Invoke

I apologize for the delay. The holidays are a very busy time for everyone and I have a 2nd grade little boy that keeps me going nonstop. Thank you for the continued support of the series.

YamatosSenpai

 ** _Part VII: Invoke_**

Coyote paused beside the creature, placing his gloved hand on the cold flesh. He studied the creature with silent interest. It was hideous, with translucent skin and wide, blue veins. Blood smeared across the ice beneath it, thick, black blood with a foul odor. It was just one of the dozens he had killed since entering the Carpathian Mountains.

They were curious, human-like monsters and Coyote knew instantly that they were some sort of avatar. He immediately shuddered at the thought, and for weeks his nights had been filled with visions of a shaking trunk. There was no wolf strap; inexplicably there was no Master involved here.

He stood up, his curly brown hair whipping in the wind. He adjusted the urn strapped to his back and he continued through the forest. The snow crunched beneath his boots noisily and his ears pricked to attention. He walked silently, inhaling the cold air meditatively.

He walked for several miles before reaching a vast open field. He scanned the barren, whiteness and sighed. There was nothing but snow and ice for miles and miles. "I know you're there." Coyote called out, halting in his tracks. "I know you've been following me."

Coyote removed his left glove, slipping it into the pocket of his pants. He flexed his fingers stiffly. "It is really your mistake." Coyote warned, his right hand aching. "I'm just passing through. I'd prefer to be undisturbed."

"Yo." With an impressive thud the man landed in front of Coyote. Coyote blinked unsurely for a few seconds, caught off guard. The handsome man smiled, pure white fangs jutting from his full lips. He was only a smidge taller than Coyote, but had at least forty pounds on him.

"Hello." Coyote said simply, staring at the handsome man. The man looked familiar but Coyote knew he had never seen him before. Coyote puffed his chest out, removing the glove off his cursed right hand. "Why are you following me?"

"I caught your scent." The man replied, sniffing the air pointedly. "And you smell delicious…" The man lifted his hand and Coyote flinched. The man smiled, pushing a curl behind Coyote's ear. "You're not human, not anymore…"

"There are others with you." Coyote realized, turning slightly toward the forest behind him.  
In that instant the man lunged, his razor-sharp claws pressing into Coyote's jugular. "You smell like vampire blood." The man hissed, his teeth pressing against Coyote's shoulder. "Why?"

"Do I?" Coyote asked, his hands contorting as he resisted transforming. "Perhaps it's my lunch you smell on me."

"Your lunch?" the man demanded. His cold, pale hand pressed against Coyote's throat.

"I killed three… vampires, you say?... They attacked me and I defended myself." Coyote explained, the hair on the back of his neck raising. "But that was days ago."

The man tapped the urn tethered to Coyote's back. "What's this?"

"My Master." Coyote said gruffly. "I wouldn't wake him up if I were you…"

The man released Coyote, his brown eyes studying the urn intently. Coyote spun around to face him, his blue eyes narrowed. The man smiled, fangs protruding, "You killed three vampires? By yourself?"

"Yeah," Coyote said smugly, rolling his neck as he spoke.

"I'm impressed." The man murmured. He looked Coyote over thoughtfully before speaking again, "How'd you do it?"

"I could tell you," Coyote warned. "But if you don't back up, I will show you."

The man leapt backward with an impish smile. "I'm sorry, was I making you nervous?"

"No." Coyote said simply. "I just don't like you in my personal space."

"Is that so?"

"I have places to go." Coyote spoke loudly. "Let me pass."

"You killed my kind, possibly even members of my coven…" the man said slowly. "You're not going anywhere."

"You will stop me?" Coyote asked, the skin on his hands darkening.

"No, I will invite you nicely and insist you join us." The man said with a grin. "Warm fires, warm drink, warm beds, and warm bodies… well, some are still warm…"

"I'll pass…" Coyote refused, shaking his head.

"And plenty of humans…" the man continued. "Plenty of debauchery, sin-filled humans."

"I'll pass…" Coyote repeated. He shoved his hands in his pockets and began to trudge through the snow.

"The nearest town is a week and half walk from here." The man called out. "There was one closer, but, well, it's gone now…" The man chuckled at his own morbid joke. "You should come with us."

"I'll pass!" Coyote yelled over his shoulder.

"Coyote," the man drawled, and Coyote could almost feel his gaze. "Come with us…"

"How do you know my name?" Coyote demanded, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, come on now…" the man exclaimed, rather enjoying toying with Coyote. "Something as simple as that… Do you think vampires only suck blood?"

"I have work to do." Coyote snapped, turning around to face the man. A chorus of laughter erupted in the forest and Coyote's skin prickled. "Come out and say what you want to say. Or just attack me. Either way, I don't care. I am moving on…"

"One meal." The man suggested. "Come and have one meal. You are free to go anytime."

"And then you'll kill me." Coyote said with a huff. "Solid plan. I don't care for it. I would rather fight the three-four-six-eight of you now."

"There are 12 of us." The man said patiently. "And trust me. It would only take one of us to kill you."

"How far?" Coyote asked irritably.

"Four hours on foot." The man explained. "But we can get there in an hour."

"How?" Coyote asked.

"Will you be joining us then?" the man questioned.

"I can't say." Coyote said simply.

The man smiled, his face seeming to split into two. He laughed, the noise escaping his jaws like a jackal. Coyote's entire body froze as he watched the handsome man morph into a grey wolf. The wolf was absolutely indiscernible from any common grey wolf. Coyote nodded wordlessly, his breath evaporating from his lungs.

Coyote undressed, folding his clothes neatly. He rolled them together, pushing the clothes under the strap of the urn. The wolf watched him motionlessly and Coyote swallowed. Coyote ground his teeth loudly, his back arching as he began to transform. His bones snapped and elongated, his skin darkening and growing thick, long hair. He grunted and moaned, agony twisting his body every which way. The big, ominous wolf raised his muzzle from the snow. He watched the grey wolf, dwarfed in comparison, and loped off into the forest after it.

* * *

"Welcome."

"Welcome, Coyote…"

"Welcome, Coyote Starrk."

"Coyote Starrk."

"Coyote Starrk…"

"Welcome."

"Welcome to the Moldova House." The man said, gesturing around the crowded parlor. "My name is Kugo Ginjo."

"How do you know of me?" Coyote asked, looking around at the leering faces.

"We know many things, Mr. Starrk." Ginjo said simply.

"Then address me properly, if you don't mind," Coyote proposed. "I'm a Vicomte."

Ginjo threw back his head and laughed huskily. "My apologies, Vicomte Starrk."

Coyote looked around the heavily perfumed parlor. There were vampires on every inch of furniture. They wore tailored, handsome clothing. They hung on one another as if heavily intoxicated. On the floor, or the lap of a lewd gentleman, human women laid prone. They wore vulgar, lascivious clothing, blood dribbling from punctures on their necks, breasts and arms.

"What's on the menu?" Coyote asked. "I do hope it isn't rabbit."

"It's not rabbit." Ginjo reassured with a nod.

"Why am I here?" Coyote pressed impatiently.

"You're a keen young man, Vicomte." Ginjo clicked his tongue decorously. "And I'll explain everything in due time. However, for now you are my guest. Please…" Ginjo gestured to a man behind Coyote. "Please enjoy your stay."

"I don't have time-" Coyote began.

He was interrupted as two young men stepped toward him. They were nearly identical in every way, from their thick, black hair and their dark brown lidless eyes to the sweet curve of their noses. Coyote studied them for a moment before realizing the boys were twins. Coyote nodded in greeting, eyeing them uncertainly.

"Relax…" the boy on the right cooed with a heavy accent, reaching out and touching Coyote's face.

"Please…." The other said with a matching accent, his hand brushing against Coyote's chest.

"Take this thing off." The first boy murmured, tugging on the urn's makeshift pack.

"Wait a second…" Coyote protested. "I won't be here long."

"Shhhh…" the second boy murmured, his lips pressing against Coyote's.

"Please," the first boy said, removing Coyote's pack and handing it off to another person.

The second boy removed Coyote's jacket, the first tugging Coyote toward him by the collar of his shirt. Both boys smiled, fangs jutting from their mouths. They spoke in unison, their cold hands pressing against Coyote's scorching flesh. "Enjoy your stay."

* * *

When Coyote woke the room was completely dark. He shivered, feeling as if he was lying in a bed of cold stone. He looked from one brother to the other slowly, absorbing the information in his sleepy mind. He sat up and the brother on his right stirred, the young man whined, his cold arm wrapping around Coyote's waist.

"You're cold." Coyote complained, shifting in the bed.

"Warm me up…" the boy murmured, looking sleepily up at Coyote with a single opened eye.

Coyote stretched, an uncomfortable sensation in his neck and arms. He brushed his thumb along his skin, peeling dried blood off in grotesque sheets. "Alright, let me up…" Coyote, completely bare, stood up and hopped unceremoniously off the bed.

The twins sat up slowly, each of them flashing Coyote a crooked smile. "Good evening, Mr. Starrk…"

"Did you sleep well?" the other asked, blinking sweetly.

"Who are you?" Coyote asked, searching the dark room for his missing clothing.

One of the twins rolled out of bed, lighting a candelabra. "We met last night, don't you remember?"

There was flash of beautiful brown skin, bared fangs, and hot animalistic sex. Coyote nodded, a sigh escaping his lips at the libidinous recollection. He began to redress as he spoke, "I remember it. I just don't think I got your names…"

"Amar bin Wulan." The one with the candelabra announced, standing naked in the cold room.

"Haziq bin Wulan." The one in the bed said, grinning widely.

"Amar, Haziq, last night was lovely, and I mean it, it was truly remarkable…" Coyote insisted. "But I really must be going…"

"Lord Ginjo would be most displeased." Amar said slowly.

"Vicomte Starrk, did we not serve you well?" Haziq asked, his full, handsome face upturned.

"I will speak with Ginjo." Coyote said firmly. "I will tell him that I must leave. It has nothing to do with you… In fact," Coyote arched his brows pointedly. "You can totally come with…" Amar and Haziq smiled widely and Coyote felt an unusual warmth fill his chest. "My Master is very demanding. I have a tight schedule."

"We will take you to Lord Ginjo." Amar offered, handing the candelabra to Coyote. Amar and Haziq dressed quickly whispering to one another in their native tongue.

Coyote smiled, his cheeks stained pink. He scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "I'm glad you both enjoyed yourselves," Coyote said in Malay.

Amar paled and Haziq burst into laughter. Haziq stepped forward, his cold hand brushing against Coyote's shoulder. "You speak Malay?"

"It's a surprise to me as well," Coyote admitted. "I don't think I've ever heard it before today."

"You're not a vampire." Amar said, searching Coyote's face thoughtfully. "And you're not a human…"

"I'm a Frenchman." Coyote said with an elegant smile. "By the grace of God."

Haziq laughed freely, his dark eyes shifting to his brother. Amar shook his head, his pale teeth jutting against his full lips. "Children…"

"Children?" Coyote scoffed. "I'm older than I look, thank you…"

"Yes." Amar purred. "So are we…"

"Come on, please," Haziq interrupted, gesturing Coyote into the hallway. "Lord Ginjo has prepared a banquet in your honor…"

"Fuck," Coyote muttered, looking from Haziq to Amar in dismay. "I should've just let him kill me in the woods and saved a walk."

"He's not going to kill you." Amar insisted. "Please follow us."

"Please," Haziq pleaded. "A vampire banquet is the most wondrous spectacle in the world…"

"They're waiting on you." Amar explained. "First some rest and relaxation, and now some food… Isn't that European hospitality?"

"I cannot refuse good food." Coyote conceded. "But first, where's the urn I carried here? I need it back…"

"Please," Amar pressed. "Follow us…"

"Fine, fine…" Coyote sighed, following Amar and Haziq down the narrow, winding hall.

The dining hall was enormous, one of the largest Coyote had ever seen. He swallowed against the strange lump in his throat. For some reason this place reminded him of home back in Nevers, France. It was ludicrous really; the two couldn't be more unalike.

The room was almost unbearably cold, but still seemed warm compared to the hundreds of haunted eyes that followed his every move. Amar gestured Coyote forward as Haziq wrapped his thin arm around Coyote's muscular bicep.

"Good evening, Vicomte Starrk," Ginjo called out jovially. "Please, join us for dinner."

"Good evening…" Coyote murmured, watching the woman standing behind Ginjo. She drank from a golden goblet, her pale mauve lips stained dark red with human blood. Her dark skin and dark eyes were a beautiful contrast to the frozen, white landscape.

"Have a seat," Ginjo said, gesturing to an empty seat on the other side of him. "Please, make yourself comfortable…"

"I fear that's impossible." Coyote confessed, sitting down in the chair. "Let's cut the pleasantries and get to the point."

"So impatient," Ginjo clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "I thought that you would've relaxed after spending the night with the twins…"

"He took his time last night." Haziq interjected, flashing Coyote a coy smile.

"Eat." Ginjo ordered, gesturing to a tall, thin man behind Coyote. "And then we can discuss our business."

A covered, silver platter was placed in front of Coyote. The tall, thin man removed the lid wordlessly, steam and aroma escaping and swirling into the chilled air. Coyote's mouth watered. He looked down at the beautifully plated meal and sighed, "It smells wonderful."

"It tastes wonderful." Ginjo insisted. "Please, go ahead and eat."

Coyote skewered a piece of meat onto his fork, tasting it cautiously. "It's not rabbit…"

"It's lynx." GInjo answered, smirking.

A range of emotions flared throughout Coyote. At first he was horrified and then he took another bite, rationalizing that an animal was an animal. He chewed thoughtfully before nodding, "It's not bad. In fact, I might even go so far as to say it's good."

"I'm pleased to hear it." Ginjo murmured, sipping from the goblet in front of him. The dark-skinned woman leaned down, whispering in Ginjo's ear. Ginjo nodded wordlessly, shrugging her hands off of his shoulders. "We have a wide array of livestock for the comfort of our human company, but I thought you'd prefer something more challenging to catch…"

"No need to trouble yourself." Coyote replied. He ate quickly, the dill and thyme in the roasted potatoes nearly causing his eyes to water. It had been ages since he had had a well-cooked meal. If the meat had been cow, the meal could have been something he ate back home. He swallowed his nostalgia with a mouthful of tender yet chewy lynx meat.

"It's no trouble at all." Ginjo said absently, waving his hand in gesture.

Coyote finished his meal, his fork scraping noisily against the empty plate. He pushed the plate away from him and rubbed his stomach with approval. "I'm impressed."

"Great." Ginjo said softly and without interest.

"So, let's get down to business then…" Coyote insisted. "I really should be leaving soon."

"I apologize, Coyote Starrk…" Ginjo growled. "But it's not you that I wish to speak with…"

"What do you mean?" Coyote asked, his blue eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Do you think that _you_ could kill a vampire?" Ginjo snapped impatiently.

Coyote felt small. He swallowed uncomfortably, his pulse beating loudly in his throat. He looked around at the surrounding vampires and fought the urge to run blindly through the manor. "I don't understand…"

"I need to speak with Sosuke Aizen." Ginjo said matter-of-factly.

"Master…?" Coyote looked at Ginjo in surprise. "It's not yet the full moon…"

"Your thoughts are jumbled," the tall, thin man said softly, placing his frozen hands on Coyote's head. "That's understandable…"

"How do I speak with Aizen?" Ginjo demanded, his dark eyes searching Coyote's.

"You can't." Coyote hissed.

"Oh, yes I can…" Ginjo whispered, leaning closer. "I can almost see him, in your eyes…"

"He doesn't know how." The thin man murmured, his cold fingertips pressing into Coyote's skull.

"I need to speak with Sosuke Aizen." Ginjo repeated.

"That's impossible." Coyote growled, wrenching himself from the tall man's grip.

"People do improbable things when they're frightened…" Ginjo began slowly. "Things they would otherwise seem incapable of…" Coyote sat silently in the chair, his body paralyzed with anticipation. He knew, he understood, that he had absolutely no chance of defeating Ginjo. He watched as Ginjo stood and walked toward him. Ginjo reached out, his cold hand brushing against Coyote's cheek. "Pain is also a great motivator…"

"Fear… pain…" Coyote scoffed. "I'm almost immune, at this point in my misfortunes…"

"You _are_ incredibly brave… and resilient… I can tell." Ginjo agreed. He smiled widely, and it sent a chill down Coyote's spine. "But I'm stubborn. And I get what I want."

"I can't give you what you want." Coyote insisted firmly. "It is not within my power."

"Your 'Master' can only materialize on the full moon, correct? And then a day for each soul you have collected…" Ginjo reasoned.

Coyote shook his head in confusion. "How do you know that?"

"I have my ways." Ginjo replied enigmatically.

"You wouldn't like Master…" Coyote said loudly. "It's pointless to try and invoke him. Just let me go… I'm only passing through…"

"Tsukishima," Ginjo said, ignoring Coyote. "Perhaps we recreate the conditions."

The tall, thin man nodded. "Of course, it makes the most sense."

Coyote rolled out of his chair, scrambling over the table as the female vampire lunged toward him. Coyote scattered the tableware, knocking over several goblets full of human blood. He let out a groan, his hands stretching and curving with his transformation. He ran down the full length of the dining table, crushing porcelain beneath his heavy boots.

"Stay." Ginjo ordered, halting the other vampires from attacking.

"Don't run away, little boy…" the lady vampire hissed, her dark skin stretching over her face. She disappeared and reappeared in front of Coyote. He cursed loudly, his feet skidding across the table. He tumbled down, the tableware bouncing and shifting noisily.

With a triumphant hiss, her hand pierced through Coyote's abdomen. He cried out, his boot connecting with her chest roughly. She stumbled backward, a sickening slurp filling the air as her hand was dislodged from Coyote's body. His skin rippled and darkened, his voice deepening inhumanly, "That really fucking hurt."

"Don't kill him, Jackie." Ginjo ordered, shaking his head anxiously. His hands curled into fists and he cursed.

"I won't." the lady vampire, Jackie, barked. "I'll only half kill him."

Coyote climbed to his feet, the obvious hole in his body closing up rapidly. "What are you playing at? I can't defeat you all… Is this some sort of sick game?"

"You killed three vampires." Ginjo murmured. "How?"

"It wasn't him. He doesn't have the talent or the strength." Tsukishima said simply.

"Exactly." Ginjo exclaimed excitedly. "So how did he manage?"

Without warning, Jackie's sharp claws slashed across Coyote's esophagus. He sank to his knees, blood spurting and gushing grotesquely from his shredded throat. His skin blanched and he fell sideways onto the table, unmoving.

"Jackie…" Ginjo whispered, watching Coyote's form nervously.

Coyote sat up, his head turning toward Ginjo abruptly. He stood fluidly, almost as if he were weightless. He stepped forward, hopping off the edge of the table. He walked toward Ginjo wordlessly, his hand wrapping around the larger man's throat. He lifted Ginjo with one hand, the vampire's feet twitching above the ground.

"Ginjo!" Jackie screamed.

"'M… o 'kay…" Ginjo wheezed weakly. "'e's 'ere…"

"Aizen?" Tsukishima asked, stepping forward cautiously.

"You wanted me…" Coyote whispered, the sound charging the air with electricity. "You've got me."


	8. Hunger

**_Part VIII: Hunger_**

Renji swung through the barren, dead branches, the wood creaking beneath his weight. His stomach clenched conspicuously, a strange sense of elation warming his belly. The chase was the most thrilling part of the game. He inhaled deeply, a certain scent lingering on the tip of his tongue.

Byakuya turned, his grey eyes glowing in the dying light. He continued running, his ebony hair flowing behind him like ribbons. His body moved limberly, his muscles flexing and retracting with natural beauty. Renji smiled, the heat in his stomach spreading as he realized completely that Byakuya was trying to outrun him.

Byakuya halted without warning, his feet skidding several yards in the snow. Renji slowed, but not enough, and with a terrible animalistic scream he nearly toppled into empty air. His tail whipped around the trunk of the nearest tree and his body yanked backward. He bared his fangs, involuntarily in his surprise, and looked down at the rocky canyon below. "Didn't think to warn me about the cliff?" Renji grunted, dropping into the snow beside Byakuya.

"You were so proud of yourself." Byakuya said, shrugging a shoulder noncommittally. "I did not want to interfere with your vainglorious thoughts."

"Yeah, well…" Renji barked. "You're not cute at all, asshole."

"Now, now…" Byakuya tsk-ed. "I completely forgot about it…" Byakuya stepped toward the cliff, the toes of his boots touching the very edge. "It was an honest mistake."

"Is that the village?" Renji asked, peering over the ledge. The first impression he had gotten was an empty rock terrain, but he could smell people, he could smell fire and livestock.

"Yes." Byakuya answered. "They hate outsiders so much they built their homestead in unreachable crags."

"Are they dangerous?" Renji wondered aloud. "I mean, are they monster hunters or hermits?"

"These people are not the people I once knew." Byakuya explained. "It is impossible to know what to expect… But I can I tell you, no matter who they are, they won't take kindly to me drinking their blood."

"Well, that's why I'm here." Renji said confidently. He watched Byakuya, fighting the urge to fix his hair. "To protect you while you feed."

"Your arrogance is absolutely unnecessary." Byakuya hissed, his slated grey eyes narrowing. "You have no right to patronize m-"

It took Renji a moment to realize that Byakuya had stopped speaking. He looked at the smaller man in surprise. "What happened?"

Byakuya's head tilted slightly, his eyes softening. A strange color seeped into Byakuya's cheeks and suddenly Byakuya took a deep breath. Byakuya looked stunned, his fingers touching his lips absently. "What's wrong?" Renji pressed, looking around in confusion.

"Nothing." Byakuya said, coming back to his senses. "I lost my train of thought, is all."

"So, are we waiting until they're asleep or what's the plan?" Renji asked, trying to ignore the way Byakuya's lips curved when he spoke.

"Asleep is best, yes." Byakuya agreed, nodding his head.

"How do we get down there anyway?" Renji looked down the steep cliff with a defeated sigh. "It's another hour or two walk around…"

"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya replied dismissively. "We fly."

"Fly?" Renji repeated the word as if it were foreign.

"You're a shape shifter, are you not?" Byakuya mused, relishing the mystification on Renji's face.

"I can't fly." Renji grunted. And then his eyes widened in understanding. "You… _You_ can fly!"

"Of course." Byakuya said, waving his hand. His lips quivered as if he might smile and Renji's face broke into a wide smirk.

"Can you carry me or…?" Renji pressed.

"It is within my power to shift you as well." Byakuya explained.

"That's cool…" Renji breathed.

"It has its advantages…" Byakuya agreed slowly. "But if I could turn into a horse, I would run far, far away and never live as a man again…"

"You kinda look like a horse… one of those black, fancy ones…" Renji said. Byakuya's eyes widened with ire and Renji's jaw dropped open. Renji shook his head adamantly, stumbling over his apology. "Oh shit… I didn't mean…"

Byakuya burst into laughter, doubling over as he held his sides. He laughed unrestrained, his low, full voice rumbling merrily. He looked up at Renji, his eyes sparkling beautifully. His body shook with laughter, the color spreading further across his handsome face. He gasped for breath and suddenly, deafeningly, his heart beat in his chest.

"Your face…!" Byakuya exclaimed, wiping at his face as he laughed. "The face you just made… Such horror!"

"I am so sorry…" Renji murmured, shaking his head. "I did not mean that how it came out…" Renji reached out and grabbed Byakuya, his warm fingers brushing against Byakuya's icy flesh. Renji felt the vampire's heart pump once, twice and then a third time before it finally quieted.

"I am not offended…" Byakuya said at last, straightening up. "I understood your intent rather than your ineloquent words…" Byakuya's face sobered up, but his eyes still glittered handsomely. "The look on your face was fairly amusing."

"You don't look like a horse." Renji muttered, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Is there anything more beautiful in the world than a horse?" Byakuya questioned.

 _You_ , Renji thought. He shook his head forcefully, clearing his throat and looking away. He scoured the distant village with feigned interest. "Is there, uh, enough people to feed you down there?"

Byakuya studied Renji silently for a long moment. His features were soft and some of the coldness surrounding him seemed to melt away. For a moment Renji feared he may have spoken aloud, but then Byakuya continued on as if nothing had happened. "I haven't properly fed for many, many years…"

"You said you were strong…" Renji began unsurely. "How are you so much stronger than the others?"

"It's a complicated lesson on vampire lore…" Byakuya said. "Overly simplified, I was not bitten by a vampire, I was reborn a vampire…"

"Those other vampires, they were bitten and turned?" Renji asked.

"The vast majority, but not all," Byakuya admitted. "The blood weakens the farther away from the 'head vampire' you get."

"Like a family tree." Renji nodded his head with understanding.

"Exactly."

"And you're a 'head vampire'?"

"Yes."

"But most aren't."

"No, they are not."

"But the new clan leader…" Renji questioned. "Ginjo, was it? He's a 'head vampire'?"

"No, he's not." Byakuya explained. "He's a second generation. He was the first human I turned."

"Oh, wow…" Renji breathed, absorbing the information. "So he's weaker than you?"

"Hardly." Byakuya scoffed. "He's had centuries to gain advantage over me."

"Are there any other second generation vampires in the coven?" Renji pressed anxiously.

"Yes, two others."

"Shit…" Renji groaned.

"And, I feel I should add," Byakuya interjected hesitantly. "There's another 'head vampire' in the coven…"

 _Where's Ichigo when I need him?_ Renji wondered, trying to keep himself collected. "That's bad isn't it?"

"It depends." Byakuya said simply.

"On what?"

"Whose side you're on…"

"Our side, shit!" Renji snapped, rolling his head back in irritation. "You're the most difficult-"

"It's time to go." Byakuya interrupted, his voice silencing Renji completely. "The villagers will soon be asleep."

"You…" Renji groaned.

"What do you have to fear, Renji?" Byakuya asked suddenly. "What is there left for you to do on this earth?"

"I wanna live for me." Renji said simply. "Everything has always been for everyone else… I just wanna be free to choose…"

"And what would you choose? What roads do you see stretched out in front of you?" Byakuya pressed.

"That's my business." Renji answered flatly. "I don't wanna die yet."

"I hope you find your purpose." Byakuya whispered. "And I hope you live long enough to fulfill it."

"Now, let's go…" Byakuya said firmly. "I'm exhausted and want to go back home…"

"You're such an old man…" Renji teased.

"Yes, and I am set in my ways," Byakuya agreed. "All of this sudden change and this nonsense with the Coven…" Byakuya let out an indignant huff. "I've had enough and wish to return home."

"But you…" Renji said. "You haven't gone down to the village yet!"

Byakuya rolled his eyes in an exaggerated gesture. "Yes. I realize that, you imbecile. I meant simply, that we should hurry along so that I might return home before the end of time!"

"Oh, duh…" Renji nodded his head in embarrassment. "Of course…"

"Look at me, Renji Abarai." Byakuya ordered suddenly, his cold hands pressing against the sides of Renji's face.

"Oh, okay…" Renji muttered unsurely. He looked at Byakuya's elegant, handsome features before meeting his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"This might feel… _odd_ …" Byakuya warned.

Renji felt as if his body was melting. He shuddered, his tongue stammering lamely in his mouth. He looked deep into Byakuya's eyes, a strange and inexplicable warmth spreading through Byakuya's skin and over him. Byakuya seemed to grow to enormous proportions and it took a moment to realize that he was, in fact, shrinking. Byakuya released Renji and the shifter felt as if he might float away.

Byakuya's lips trembled, his tongue running across his pointed fangs. His outline shimmered and, before Renji's eyes, his form shifted into a bat. The bat's wings fluttered wildly, zooming around Renji quickly.

 _Follow me_ , Byakuya ordered wordlessly.

 _Yes_ , Renji answered back without hesitation.

Flying was exhilarating. It wasn't something that Renji thought about. It just happened, it just was. Afterward, years later during a nostalgic moment, Renji would realize that he was completely sightless as he flew. Byakuya's presence was nearly blinding in those fleeting moments, and he couldn't even see him.

"That was amazing!" Renji cheered, beaming handsomely from ear to ear.

Byakuya studied Renji for a moment before speaking, "Most people do not have that reaction."

"I don't know how…" Renji mused. "That was awesome."

"It must remind you of swinging wildly through the trees…" Byakuya suggested.

"Maybe." Renji conceded.

They climbed over uneven rock toward the village, the light of the dying fires casting a warm orange glow. Several dogs whined, their tails tucked between their legs. Byakuya extended his hand, and suddenly to Renji's surprise, the vampire kneeled. One of the dogs, grey with black spots, approached, sniffing Byakuya's hand.

"You like animals, huh?" Renji asked.

"Not especially," Byakuya murmured, stroking the dog's head softly. "If anything, I suppose I feel a connection to them."

"How so?" Renji breathed, squatting beside Byakuya.

"No matter how kind or cruel their Master, an animal is completely at the mercy of humanity…" Byakuya reasoned. "Ignorance is bliss? No. Ignorance stings like a whip."

"That's depressing." Renji groaned. "Don't you have any happy thoughts?"

"I'll be dead soon." Byakuya answered, looking over at Renji.

"I'm sorry I asked." Renji sighed.

"Until then," Byakuya said, standing. "I need to feed."

Byakuya stalked through the dark, sleeping village. He peered into an open window and nodded toward Renji. "Here."

"Alright…" Renji breathed. "What do you want me to do? Should I stand outside or…?"

Byakuya placed his cold hand against Renji's lips. Byakuya shook his head, the smile that forsake his lips living on in his eyes. "Be quiet."

Renji nodded.

"Good boy." Byakuya said slowly. He brushed his thumb across Renji's cheek and nearly smiled. "I'm going to go inside now. I'm going to start with the father, then the mother, and then the daughters…" Byakuya released Renji and took a step backward. "And you will stand inside, by the door. If anyone wakes out of turn… silence them…"

"Okay." Renji agreed breathlessly.

Renji stood in stunned silence, his back pressed against the rotting front door. Byakuya straddled the man, one leg on the floor, the other between the sleeping adults. He leaned down, his black hair tickling across the man's exposed chest. Byakuya's pale hands pushed his clothes to the side, his face mere inches from the man's flesh. His teeth seemed to lengthen, his jaw nearly coming unhinged. Byakuya sank his fangs into the man's neck, suckling at his flesh greedily. The unsuspecting man remained asleep, his fingers and groin twitching unconsciously.

Byakuya lifted his head with a gasp, wiping his bloodstained mouth with his forearm. His hair splayed behind him, a deep, rosy color filling his cheeks. He let out a satisfied moan before rolling off of the man and onto his wife.

Byakuya visited all thirty-nine homes in the village. Each time he fed he seemed to become more alive. He was nearly drunk when he left the last home. He stumbled, grabbing hold of Renji to steady himself. "Thank you…" Byakuya murmured, his hand trailing along Renji's shoulders.

"They all survived…" Renji noted, leading Byakuya away from the small, dilapidated houses. "Does that take a lot of self-control or…?"

Renji tasted the blood before he realized Byakuya's lips were on his. Renji's eyes widened in bewilderment, his hands shooting up to Byakuya's shoulders. But the kiss only intensified, blood and tongues swirling together indiscriminately. Byakuya's nails dug sharply into Renji's flesh and then his heart pounded loudly between them.

Byakuya placed one hand against his heart, the other arm wrapped hungrily around Renji's neck. "Are… you… okay…?" Renji murmured, his bottom lip pulled between Byakuya's teeth. Renji could feel Byakuya's chest heave up and down with each sudden breath. "You seem… _different_ …"

"I am different…" Byakuya rasped seductively. "I'm just so hungry…"

"You just ate," Renji said timidly. "Give it a minute to settle…"

"It's not that kind of _hunger_." Byakuya insisted, his lips pressing against Renji's.

"Oh, okay," Renji breathed. "I've got it now."

Renji wrapped his arms tightly around Byakuya's slender body, their lips pressed together. Byakuya tightened his hold on Renji and suddenly they were spinning at frightening speeds. They stopped abruptly and Renji realized they had moved locations, ending up yards away from where they stood moments before, obscured from the village.

Renji immediately gripped Byakuya by the wrists, laughing darkly. "These things are sharp…"

Byakuya nodded shamelessly, licking his lips. "Can't handle a little pain, _boy_?"

"Oh," Renji breathed excitedly. "I can handle it." Renji leaned down, kissing Byakuya gruffly. "But I'm in charge right now, _Sir_."

* * *

"You look well." Jushiro said with a nod.

"Thank you." Byakuya spoke quietly, fidgeting uncharacteristically with his hair.

"You look well too," Shunsui whispered, nudging Renji in the side pointedly.

"What do you mean?" Renji whispered back.

"You totally fucked." Shunsui spoke under his breath. He wriggled his brows in gesture, smirking childishly.

"Don't talk about it like that…" Renji chastised quietly.

"Ah, come on," Shunsui pressed. "Was it good? ...It was good…"

"Shaddap!" Renji groaned, making a horrified expression. "I'm lucky he didn't eat me afterwards…"

"I still might…" Byakuya said simply from the far side of the room.

"How did you hear that?" Renji groaned, shaking his head.

"I have many hidden talents." Byakuya said with a shrug. "Or perhaps you are both terrible at whispering."

"I'm sorry. I am so embarrassed…" Renji said solemnly. "I cannot believe you caught me talking like an idiot…"

"I am not offended." Byakuya assured him. He turned toward Shunsui, the corner of his lips twisting upward ever-so-slightly. "And yes, it was good."

Shunsui exclaimed loudly, slapping out at Renji playfully. Ichigo rolled his eyes, swatting at the two larger men in annoyance. "Okay, Okay, can we get back on track here? Sheesh!"

"Ichigo is next." Shunsui stated definitively. "Next person to get some needs to be Ichigo. He's not gonna relax until it happens…"

"I am just fine, thank you…" Ichigo snarled, his hand wrapping around Shunsui's collar. "But if you wanna die, keep talking…"

"Come on, Ichigo," Shunsui said seriously. "We're trying to discuss the plan… Get serious for a minute…"

"Oh fuck this." Ichigo groaned, releasing Shunsui and standing. He walked across the room, his middle finger in the air pointedly. "I hope you get fleas."

"Your words cut like swords, Ichigo…" Shunsui teased, playfully pouting.

"AND EAR MITES!" Ichigo cursed, his hands shaking at his sides.

"Kyoraku-san." Jushiro chastised. "Act like a Samurai. And if you can't do that, at least act your age…"

"Aww, Ukitake-san," Shunsui groaned pitifully. "Don't be so cold…"

"Ichigo, come back. Take a seat… Shunsui is done being an idiot." Jushiro promised.

"Doubt it." Ichigo grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

"I am thinking with clarity." Byakuya said suddenly. "Feeding was absolutely the correct decision…" Byakuya looked around the room. "We cannot defeat the Coven as we are now."

"What?" Ichigo and Shunsui shared a worried look.

"But there is no need to panic." Byakuya said assuredly. "Because we have an ally."

"What? Who?" Jushiro questioned.

"I do not know 'who'." Byakuya replied enigmatically. "But I believe you do."

"Coyote?" Jushiro asked.

"It's gotta be." Shunsui reasoned.

"Good." Ichigo said simply. "He can take responsibility for this mess he's thrown in our laps."

"He won't." Shunsui muttered.

"Still, it would be so nice to see him…" Jushiro breathed. "I was starting to think he was avoiding us."

"He is." Shunsui said simply.

"I know." Jushiro groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose irritably.

"Whoever is coming is definitely not avoiding you…" Byakuya explained. "They are moving incredibly fast. And they seem to be filled with murderous intent…"

"Not Coyote." Jushiro sighed.

"Can't be." Shunsui agreed. "Not with murderous intent…"

"Why exactly do you think they're an ally?" Ichigo asked, arching a brow.

"I do not 'think'." Byakuya snapped. "I know."

"This guy!" Ichigo breathed out.

"I have my reasons, I assure you," Byakuya spoke softly, his low voice rumbling. "However, I cannot share them with you."

"If we're going to work together, we have to trust each other…" Shunsui insisted. "That goes for you as well, Byakuya. You have to trust us with some of your secrets…"

"This secret would only cause you all undue stress." Byakuya murmured, looking toward the window absently.

"We can handle it." Renji said firmly.

Byakuya looked at Renji suddenly. His grey eyes roamed over Renji's youthfully handsome face. Renji felt a heat pooling in his cheeks and lower abdomen and he looked away in embarrassment. _You cannot handle it_ , Byakuya said, his lips unmoving.

"We're used to disappointment." Ichigo spoke up suddenly. "We're used to bad news… At this point in life, it hardly matters to hear a little more…"

"You must also trust me." Byakuya said tersely. "It's not pertinent at this point."

"M'Lord," Petru interrupted. "There's an intruder, in the woods…"

"I know." Byakuya nodded.

"Should I get your sword, M'Lord?" Petru asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

"That will be unnecessary." Byakuya said, waving his hand dismissively. "Please prepare an extra meal tonight. We are expecting another guest."

"Of course, M'Lord." Petru said obediently, bowing out of the room.

"He should be here any moment, at the speed he's maintaining." Byakuya stood slowly, his joints creaking in an unseemly way. "I would like for you to introduce us, Ichigo…"

Ichigo looked up at Byakuya curiously, a pensive scowl on his face. Ichigo nodded slowly before speaking, "Sure." Byakuya staggered from the room drunkenly and without another word. Ichigo looked at Renji and shook his head. "Vampires are such lofty creatures…"

"It's the isolation." Renji reasoned, looking around the cold, heartless castle.

"Who's coming?" Shunsui leaned forward, his fingers pressing into his own thighs anxiously. "And how can we trust it's an ally?"

"He may seem… odd… but he's not unintelligent," Renji explained, perhaps a little too heatedly. "If he says it's an ally, it's an ally…"

"And you're suddenly an expert because…?" Ichigo challenged.

"Wait a moment," Jushiro interrupted. "What is-"

"I never said I was an expert…" Renji snarled. "I'm only saying that Byakuya seems pretty powerful and I don't think we should just discount his opinion because _we're_ afraid…"

"He seems pretty mad!" Ichigo snapped. "This is the great Count Dracula? Our lives are in his hands? For fuck's sake, Renji, we're all gonna die at this rate…"

"Kurosaki-kun, Abarai-kun, please…" Jushiro spoke determinedly.

"We need him." Renji barked. "If the Quincys nearly took us out, these vampires will have a picnic…"

"Will you both shut up?!" Jushiro shouted furiously. "I have been trying to speak to you…"

"What?" Ichigo snapped at the same time as Renji's guttural response, "Well?"

"Do you smell that?" Jushiro asked, shaking his head with irritation.

"I do." Shunsui said, an unconscious grin spreading across his face. "I'll never forget that scent as long as I live…"

" _Love Cervere_." Ichigo said suddenly, his upper body visibly relaxing. He started to move unconsciously, the sweet aroma leading him blindly toward the creature producing it. "It's Grimmjow…"

"If you hadn't been fighting you would have smelled it ages before me…" Jushiro chastised.

"If he's releasing _Love Cervere_ …" Renji said suddenly. "Where's Byakuya?"

"Do you think vampires are immune to it?" Shunsui asked, walking slowly toward the door through no volition of his own.

"Only dragons are immune." Ichigo stated matter-of-factly, his body moving of its own accord.

"You don't think," Jushiro began to panic. "That's where Byakuya went, do you?"

"I'm going…" Ichigo said quickly, the outline of his body rippling as he increased his speed.

"There's nothing to worry about." Shunsui said, wrapping his hand around Jushiro's thin wrist. "Byakuya's a vampire. If Renji and I couldn't kill him, Grimmjow can't either…"

"I just think it's a mistake for the two of them to meet." Jushiro said quietly.

"Why?" Shunsui asked shaking his head.

"Do you remember when you first met Grimmjow?" Jushiro asked pointedly.

"Yeah," Shunsui breathed, his skin prickling at the thought of Lilinette's box broken open.

"What did Grimmjow want more than anything?" Jushiro pressed.

"I don't know… he was looking for us… we killed his men…" Shunsui rambled thoughtfully. "And he wanted to see how strong we were…"

"Because?" Jushiro continued impatiently.

"Because he wanted to die." Shunsui sighed in realization. "And he was looking for someone strong enough to do it."


	9. I Wait

Sorry for the delay! The holidays are a busy time for family. Happy New Year and Pongalo Pongal!

Cheers,

YamatosSenpai

 ** _Part IX: I Wait_**  
Byakuya pushed aside the heavy oaken doors, slamming them against the walls noisily. He walked purposefully, taking the steps hurriedly. His boots crunched over the deep snow, but no breath unfurled from his lips. His hair swished around him, the wind ruffling his clothes.

 _And then Byakuya was barefoot, his feet sinking into the muddy earth beneath him. Byakuya tilted his head, but didn't pause, continuing forward as if compelled to do so. He looked around the lush, green forest and sighed. In another lifetime, this could have been his home._

 _An unusual heat spread across his skin and he suddenly felt alive. He looked down at his hands, inspecting the thick, blue veins. They were his hands, but they weren't. And the heart beating evenly in his chest couldn't possibly belong to him. Byakuya looked around at all the green and all the life and couldn't process a single thought._

 _"_ _Boy!" Byakuya's body shuddered uncontrollably and he turned his head slowly, taking Shuren in with disbelief. "Boy," Shuren repeated gruffly. "You coming?"_

 _Byakuya meant to ask, "where?', but instead he answered, "Yes."_

 _Shuren grabbed Byakuya, hoisting him onto the back of his horse. Byakuya immediately pressed his face into Shuren's back, inhaling his scent with longing. Shuren smelt of horses, mud and death. It wasn't particularly a pleasant scent, but to Byakuya it was absolute bliss._

 _"_ _Wait, I can't go." Byakuya shook his head suddenly._

 _"_ _Can't go?" Shuren asked disjointedly, his eyebrows furrowing._

 _"_ _No, can't go." Byakuya repeated, slipping into his old speech without conscious thought. "Must stay. Things to do."_

 _Shuren watched Byakuya as he slid off the side of the horse. Byakuya ran his hand over the horse's hindquarter and looked up at Shuren. Shuren smiled, no anger or disappointment in his features, "Okay. I wait."_

 _"_ _Might take long." Byakuya explained._

 _"_ _I wait." Shuren said firmly._

Byakuya's eyes opened abruptly. He spun in a tight circle, his boots crunching the snow underfoot. He narrowed his eyes, watching the snow white panther with interest. The panther suddenly froze, as if it hadn't expected Byakuya to come around. Byakuya extended his hand, kneeling wordlessly. The panther hissed, spit flying from the corner of its mouth. Byakuya fought a smile, flicking his fingers in gesture, his hand still extended.

"You're awake." The panther spoke, his exquisite blue eyes focused intently on Byakuya.

"You must be a shifter." Byakuya said, unblinkingly. "You're such a beautiful creature. It's a rare beauty amongst your kind…"

"Ha!" the panther laughed heartily. "For now, I'm glad I didn't get to eat you…"

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo shouted, pointing at the panther in frustration as he ran down the stairs. "Don't just go around misting people…"

Byakuya stood slowly, watching Ichigo approach. The panther shivered, its body morphing into that of a wild-looking, handsome man with a shock of blue hair. He stood, his naked body standing out in stark contrast to the cold, white snow. He flashed a crooked, wide smile, "Heya, Kurosaki... I smelt your blood, I thought something was wrong…"

"I'm fine. You didn't need to come, Grimmjow." Ichigo growled, his peach cheeks stained pink.

"Well, I know you've got a penchant for trouble… And that baboon idiot isn't much help…" Grimmjow continued, speaking over Ichigo's protests. "No need to thank me…"

"I'm not thanking you…" Ichigo spit, shaking his head adamantly.

"Moving on…" Grimmjow said, winking at Ichigo and further infuriating him. He turned his attention toward Byakuya, "Who're you?"

"This is Byakuya," Ichigo said simply. "Byakuya, this is Grimmjow. Grimmjow, this is Byakuya…"

"Say, are all vampires immune to my love cervere or just you?" Grimmjow asked, scratching his lower belly.

"What is love cervere?" Byakuya asked curiously.

"Clothes first." Ichigo insisted, hooking Grimmjow around the elbow and nearly dragging him toward the castle.

"I was hallucinating…" Byakuya said, suddenly feeling too heavy to stand. "It was something… Something I had chosen to forget…"

"Clothes first." Ichigo repeated.

"Orders are orders…" Grimmjow replied with a smirk.

"No…" Byakuya breathed out shakily. He felt like he was forgetting how to be human the further away from the dream he became. "What was that? What is your power?" Byakuya's voice quivered and he sucked in a painful breath, "What did you do to me?"

"Huh? Nothing…" Grimmjow muttered, pausing on the top stair. "I was bein' nice. That was supposed to make you feel good or happy or whatever…" Grimmjow disappeared into the castle, his body whipping behind Ichigo like a banner.

"Hey, wolf pup…" Grimmjow called out, waving lazily as Ichigo pulled him toward his room.

"Hello, Grimmjow." Shunsui said, nodding in greeting.

"It's the kitty-cat!" Orihime called out merrily, jumping up and down enthusiastically.

"Tiny human person." Grimmjow said with a nod. Jushiro covered Orihime's eyes quickly, blocking her from viewing the unabashed shifter's nakedness. "Big human person… _san_ …"

Byakuya ambled sluggishly into the castle. He looked around the entryway like he didn't recognize a single thing. Everything felt frozen and dead. He sat down in his chair by the fire, watching the snow melt off of his boots. The water pooled beneath his feet, the carpet darkening in spots, much like blood.

"Are you alright?" Jushiro asked, leaning forward, his fingertips brushing against Byakuya's shoulder.

"Ah, yes," Byakuya nodded slowly, his eyes meeting Jushiro's peaceful green gaze. "I am fine."

"I felt like you do." Shunsui said suddenly. "I accidentally breathed in some of that shit and I thought I was losing my mind. I was at my home in Japan and then someplace called Xibalba, all while walking around a fucking battleground… It's a drug for sure."

Byakuya was silent for a long stretch of time. He appeared as if he might retch at any moment. Finally he sank back into his chair and closed his eyes, "I saw someone…" Byakuya breathed out, his low voice rumbling. "Someone who has been dead and gone for a very long time." Byakuya pressed his fingers against his temples anxiously.

"Apparently, he does that so he can eat people without them fighting back." Shunsui explained. "He can make the hallucinations scary or pleasant."

"Was he planning on eating me?" Byakuya asked, eyeing Shunsui in surprise. "I feel so rude that I have interrupted his meal…" Byakuya almost chuckled, his breathing hitching peculiarly. "I hate when dinner escapes."

"He can and should eat human food." Shunsui muttered.

"Some humans eat other humans." Byakuya explained, leaning forward in his chair. "They're called cannibals. Fascinating, isn't it? When I was a boy, we never ate human flesh, but we ate our meat raw. We would put it under the saddles of our horses to make it tender…"

"That's disgusting." Renji said with a grimace.

Byakuya looked up at Renji peculiarly, "You are saying an entire tribe of people were disgusting because they didn't burn up valuable flesh? Cooking meat dissolves precious nutrients and fats. Fat is needed to survive a Hunnic winter…"

"Humans eating humans is disgusting." Renji clarified. "I eat raw meat all the time, though I certainly prefer when it's been prepared over a fire."

"We've all done it." Jushiro said firmly. "In my homeland, raw fish is consumed all the time."

"I've eaten humans." Shunsui said blankly, as if in shock. "I guess I never thought much of it before."

"That does not count." Byakuya said matter-of-factly. "And you know it. Or perhaps you don't, but let me assure you, you are not a cannibal…"

"If you don't mind me asking…" Renji began uncertainly. "If you don't, uh, breathe, how did you breathe in the mist?"

"I am undead. I do not need to breathe, it is true." Byakuya replied. "However, just like any other creature, I use my nose for tracking. All of my senses are heightened. I can see, hear, and smell farther than nearly anything else."

"So his mist will be useless in battle, huh?" Shunsui realized, shaking his head in disappointment.

"If we remove the other senses, our enemies will have no choice but to use scent." Byakuya said hurriedly. "And of course, vampires take involuntary breaths all the time, especially when hurt or surprised…"

"The plan needs to be finalized… tonight." Ichigo said, stepping into the room with Grimmjow following behind closely.

"Of course," Byakuya deflected. "But first, you should sup…"

"No." Ichigo snapped. "We finish the plan. We get this over and done with. I am growing impatient. My good nature is quickly souring…"

"Ichigo, I already have a plan. The probability for success is favorable." Byakuya said simply.

"Great!" Ichigo breathed out. "So what is it?"

"It is a good plan." Byakuya muttered.

"And…?" Ichigo pressed.

"And we will most likely succeed, if the variables remain the same." Byakuya added slowly.

"Byakuya, tell me the damn plan!" Ichigo barked, looking around at the others with exasperation.

"I cannot. I apologize." Byakuya sighed.

"You can't tell _me_ the plan?" Ichigo's brown eyes widened in anger.

"No, I cannot. I cannot tell anyone here." Byakuya replied.

"Why?" Shunsui asked, standing up to his full, impressive height. "Explain yourself."

"You just have to trust me." Byakuya rebounded.

"No, no, that is not how trust works…" Shunsui argued. "You aren't trusting us…"

"No matter how hard you try, no matter your intentions, the plan will seep out of your little heads and into the enemy's hands." Byakuya expounded. "I cannot tell you, I will not take that risk with your lives."

"I don't get it." Ichigo admitted irritably. "This entire time I have been trying to get you to make a plan… And now you aren't even including us?"

"I have listened to your ideas and incorporated many of them." Byakuya said calmly.

"Eh, guys…" Grimmjow groaned, looking around the group of them in astonishment. "Ichigo told me a little bit of what's going on. You're attacking a coven, right? Well, it's not like we can just waltz in there with the entire plan broadcasting, can we?"

"They are not familiar with my kind." Byakuya said, his eyes meeting Grimmjow's. "I have avoided explaining my position until now, and I see now that I have made a mistake."

"What am I missing?" Ichigo asked, shaking his head. "I hate feeling like an idiot."

"I trust each of you." Byakuya assured them. "And I know that you will each perform to the fullest of your abilities… The problem lies with the enemy." Byakuya sighed, sinking deeper into his chair. "Vampires can read minds."

"What?" Ichigo asked, his jaw dropping open of its own accord.

"I have been reading your minds the entire time you've been here." Byakuya continued, staring down at his clawed hands. "It isn't something I can control… I don't do it purposefully…"

"Like everything?" Renji demanded, a deep scarlet painted across his cheeks. "Like every thought or just some or…?"

"The ability loses effectiveness the more diluted the vampire is…" Byakuya continued, ignoring Renji. "But we still cannot afford for you to know the plan."

"What are we supposed to do then?" Ichigo asked. "Just go in blindly swinging? Because I can do that too, but it'll get ugly quick."

"I told you the most important part of the plan." Byakuya insisted. "Kill every single creature there. Do not take pity on a single soul."

"Awesome." Grimmjow said with a grin. "That's how I like it. Bloody massacres, like old times, eh, Ichi?"

"I'm not like you." Ichigo groaned. He had to look away from Grimmjow's grinning face. "I don't like killing."

"You don't have to like it." Grimmjow spoke quietly. "Because you're fucking great at it."

"This complicates things." Shunsui sighed, sitting back down on the chaise.

"You are not doing anyone favors." Byakuya said, locking eyes with Shunsui. "You need to snap out of your stupor and take control."

"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked, shaking his head.

"People are easy to read, but you are different…" Byakuya murmured, leaning closer to Shunsui. "When I look at you, I see a wounded beast. I cannot pretend to know you, but I know your pain… But the difference between us is, while we both created our own mess, you have people counting on you. Wake up and fix your mistakes."

"Do…" Shunsui whispered. "Do you know something about me…?"

"I cannot help you, I'm sorry…" Byakuya murmured, sitting back against his chair. "You are a unique creature. Truly one of a kind. I am grateful to see such a being before I die."

"I'm just like everyone else here…" Shunsui corrected.

"No, you are not." Byakuya said simply, folding his hands in his lap. "You're nothing like anyone."

* * *

"But I don't want to stay here." Orihime complained, her fists curling helplessly at her sides. "I'm useless to you here!"

"Orihime," Jushiro sighed, looking toward Shunsui for backup.

"You can't go." Shunsui said simply, his grey eyes watching her intently.

"But-"

"Silly little girl…" Shunsui growled deeply. "You are a food source for our enemy. You can't go."

"So I get left behind with Vasile and Petru! You trust them? They haven't seen women since… since their mothers died!" Orihime argued.

"And they don't see any women now… You're a kid." Shunsui retorted. "And I may not know them well, but I don't believe they'd ever do anything to disturb the Count."

"I'm your healer!" Orihime pressed.

"We can all heal without you." Shunsui pointed out.

"I can help!" Orihime cried out.

"You can help by staying right here." Shunsui ordered impatiently. "If you leave this castle, then so help me, God, I will-" Shunsui paused, breathing heavily. "Listen, Orihime, I need you to stay here. I am begging you."

"Begging?" Orihime repeated the word as if it were foreign.

"Yes. I am begging you." Shunsui continued. "Because I have hurt people before while I've been transformed. I've killed innocent people who didn't deserve to die. And I regret it terribly," Shunsui spoke quickly, almost as if he might lose the nerve. "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you…"

"You're not speaking Japanese." Jushiro chastised. "Have we come to an agreement yet?"

"Yes, Daddy." Orihime said with an obedient nod. "I will stay here."

"Thank you." Jushiro said in relief. He looked toward Shunsui, his bright green eyes searching Shunsui's handsome, rugged face. "Orihime, why don't you go play a bit before bed?"

"Awww." Orihime complained.

"Go on." Jushiro ordered firmly.

"Yes, Daddy." Orihime said, walking out of the room sulkily.

"You look anxious."

"I am." Shunsui admitted quietly.

"We've dealt with so many things before this." Jushiro spoke reassuringly. "There's been nothing we couldn't handle."

"In the Holy Roman Empire…" Shunsui wheezed, gripping the arm of the chair tightly. "I couldn't handle that… And Coyote, he's so much… he's so fearless… Is he still so fearless after the Quincys did that to him?"

"It didn't destroy you." Jushiro stated matter-of-factly. "Either of you."

"It tried to." Shunsui murmured.

"You're too afraid of failure." Jushiro realized, shaking his head slowly.

"If we fail, they won't kill us, not right away…" Shunsui breathed. "I wish he never would've told us that. I cannot get it out of my head. I'd rather die a million times than live through torture again. I can't do it… I just can't go through that shit again…"

Shunsui's eyes closed as Jushiro's lips pressed against his. Jushiro kissed Shunsui passionately, his weight pressing comfortingly down on Shunsui. Jushiro pulled away breathlessly, his green eyes glittering in the dim light, "You are going to be okay. We'll be together this time, and there's no way I would ever let anyone touch you in such a way…"

"Ju-"

"Close your mouth and listen," Jushiro instructed. "I am here. I am at your side. I am not an ornament or a decoration…" Jushiro placed a soothing, delicate kiss on the top of Shunsui's hand. "I am your sword, and I will protect you…"

"Thank you." Shunsui said simply, his warm hand enveloping Jushiro's.

"You're welcome, forever and always." Jushiro spoke softly, his low voice rumbling through his throat.

"I'm sorry I got us involved in this mess." Shunsui groan in agitation.

"One problem at a time, Kyoraku-san." Jushiro suggested.

"If only life came at us _one problem at a time_." Shunsui muttered.

* * *

"How do you know so much about vampires?" Ichigo asked, watching Grimmjow with interest.

Grimmjow looked up at Ichigo, his brilliant blue eyes flashing with excitement. "I don't live cooped up in the Council's shadow…"

"I don't either!" Ichigo barked.

"Take it easy, take it easy…" Grimmjow said with a chuckle. He shook his head, his tangled mess of blue hair shaking appealingly. "I live by myself. I have more adventures than you. I make more enemies and more friends…"

"Have you fought a vampire before?" Ichigo pressed.

"No." Grimmjow admitted. "But once, a very long time ago, I met a few of them. They wiped out the village I was staying in… back when I was a contract holder actually."

"Were they to be reasoned with?" Ichigo questioned, noting belatedly how close Grimmjow had moved toward him.

"They tried to eat me." Grimmjow whispered, his breath fanning across Ichigo's neck. "I'm sure I was delicious…"

"How'd you escape?" Ichigo asked, leaning further away from Grimmjow, arching his neck uncomfortably.

"My Master." Grimmjow admitted with a flicker of disgust. Grimmjow sat up, the space between the two of them enlarging into an unpleasant chill. "It was like watching a play. The actors had lines and I watched it all from beginning to end, with no effect on the outcome."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked anxiously, his stomach twisting into knots.

"My Master used my body. He was _in_ it." Grimmjow shuddered. "He killed them all. He had never defended me in a fight before or since."

"So then why did he fight the vampires? And using such a method?" Ichigo shook his head, his thoughts whirring.

"I have an idea, but…" Grimmjow began slowly. "I'll tell ya, for a price…"

"A price!" Ichigo shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "I won't play your little game, Grimmjow."

"Sure ya will." Grimmjow said with a wide, impish grin. "Because I've seen a Master fight a vampire, and you're curious."

"You're deplorable." Ichigo admonished.

"I know." Grimmjow said with a laugh.

"What do you want for the information?"

"Nothing much." Grimmjow murmured.

"Fine. Tell me."

"A kiss."

"The price of the information is a kiss?" Ichigo questioned, his brows furrowed.

"Going once…" Grimmjow teased. "Going twice…"

Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow's robe tightly, pulling the larger shifter toward him. Ichigo's curse died on his lips as Grimmjow wrapped his arms around him, nearly pouncing on him. Grimmjow's warm lips pressed against Ichigo's. Ichigo cried out as Grimmjow's teeth bit down on his lower lip, and without hesitating, Grimmjow forced his large, hot tongue into Ichigo's mouth.

"Alright!" Ichigo groaned, pushing Grimmjow off of him and onto the floor. "You got your kiss." Ichigo brushed his hands together dismissively. His cheeks were bright scarlet, his lips tinged pink. He looked feverish, his chocolate brown eyes searching everywhere in the room besides where Grimmjow sat unceremoniously on the floor.

"Babylonian kisses are the worst…" Grimmjow teased. "I always end up with a bruise and on the floor."

"You asked for it." Ichigo said, his shoulders rolling back attractively. He smiled, offering Grimmjow a hand up. "Now talk."

"You should have paid afterward…" Grimmjow complained, rubbing his butt with exaggeration. "You're too impatient."

"Talk, Jaegerjaquez…" Ichigo demanded, kicking out at Grimmjow mischievously.

"The Master never cared if I lived or died." Grimmjow said matter-of-factly. "But he did care if _he_ lived or died."

"You're saying he was protecting himself?" Ichigo pressed.

"He saw the vampires as a threat. He wasn't even in corporal form…" Grimmjow clarified. "Which means he was worried about his wolfstrap."

"Over a thousand years ago, vampires knew about wolfstraps." Ichigo breathed out. "That's not good news. The Council…"

"The Council can suck my dick." Grimmjow spat.

"The Council feels the same way about you." Ichigo muttered.

"Then why do they insist that I'm a part of it?" Grimmjow asked with a howling laugh. "They're like clingy exes."

"I have no idea." Ichigo waved his hand dismissively. "I've been trying to get rid of you for forever, it seems…"

"You could, ya know." Grimmjow murmured, grabbing Ichigo's hand and jumping to his feet. "You could definitely kill me."

"If we fought," Ichigo reasoned. "It would be mutually destructive."

"Can you think of a better way to go, than to die with me in glorious battle?" Grimmjow challenged with a grin.

"Die after killing every single Master." Ichigo said simply.

"You're so noble, it disgusts me." Grimmjow scoffed.

"And you're so different?" Ichigo retorted. "The only reason you're here is to _help_."

"One day, I'm going to kill you." Grimmjow reasoned. "I can't kill you if someone else does… Ya get me?"

"No, I will never get you." Ichigo shook his head. "And my patience is dissolving rather quickly…" Ichigo walked toward the door of the study slowly. He paused, turning to look at Grimmjow, "I'm going to bathe your scent off of me. Unfortunately, I have to wait for the servants to warm the water …"

"That's not nice…" Grimmjow protested, clicking his tongue.

"I'd say that gives you about twenty-five minutes…" Ichigo replied thoughtfully.

"Twenty-five minutes? What do you mean…?" But before he had finished speaking Grimmjow realized the implication. He grinned sheepishly, walking obediently toward the door. "I can work with that."


	10. A Blade of Grass

**_Part X: A Blade of Grass_**

"Ultimately, it is the desire, not the desired, that we love."

-Friedrich Nietzsche

* * *

Ginjo smiled, beckoning the female vampire, Jackie, back to his side. She closed her mouth, her full lips barely closing over her bared fangs. Ginjo placed his hand on her face, directing her chin forcefully until she could only look at him, "It's dangerous, stay away from him."

"Y-yes, Sir." Jackie murmured, nodding with effort against Ginjo's firm grip.

"We've got you, you say?" Ginjo said aloud, spinning theatrically in place. "And who have I gotten exactly?"

"Don't play games with me," Aizen's voice dripped from Coyote's mouth. Coyote's body twitched violently, the hole in his abdomen mending rapidly. "You invoked me. You have my interest, for now; I warn you though, don't waste my time…"

"You killed three members of my clan." Ginjo announced, pointing a clawed finger accusingly. "That took some talent."

"Not really," Coyote's mouth moved unnaturally, as if his skin was melting off the bones. Aizen's voice oozed from his open jaw in a terrifying way and Ginjo fought the urge to shudder. "It was simple enough."

"You're cocky. I like it…" Ginjo replied thoughtfully. "Makes things more interesting…"

"I am not here for your amusement, Kugo Ginjo." Aizen said firmly. "I'm here because that little bitch over there put a hole in my favorite servant."

"Well," Ginjo's gaze wandered to Jackie, and in that brief second, Aizen had dispatched two of the vampires standing closest. "What?!"

Coyote's hands shot to the sides, his fists ripping through the chest cavities of the two nearest creatures. His hands wrapped around their hearts and he pulled without hesitation. He ate the blackened organs, foul blood smearing down his lips. But in no more than four or five seconds he was continuing his attack, forcing his hands through their throats and severing their heads.

Coyote stood between the headless corpses, their faces, spinning on the stone ground, still twisted in shock and agony. Blood spewed from their bodies copiously, almost as if the sky was raining blood. Coyote's tongue darted out of his mouth, licking his blood splattered lips. Aizen spoke again, wiping at a bit of blood that seeped from Coyote's eye, "Tick-tock…" Aizen smiled, splaying Coyote's lips into a macabre grin. "Maybe I'll kill you next…"

"You seem like a reasonable guy," Ginjo continued quickly. "Perhaps we can come to some sort of an arrangement?"

"What sort of arrangement?" Aizen asked calmly.

"One hundred human souls…" Ginjo breathed anxiously.

"Keep talking…" Aizen instructed, his fingers tracing along the break in Coyote's left arm. He couldn't remain in his body much longer, it was rapidly breaking down.

"And all you have to do is kill one little vampire…" Ginjo finished, smiling in anticipation.

"You want to kill your creator." Aizen realized, nodding Coyote's head slowly. Aizen looked at Ginjo incredulously, "Why?"

"My reasons are my own." Ginjo replied.

"One hundred human souls just for killing one vampire?" Aizen shook Coyote's head. "You're weaker than I thought, and I already didn't think much of you."

"A vampire cannot kill his creator." Ginjo hissed. "If I were to deliver the final blow… I would be cursed for millennia."

"Surely," Aizen began teasingly. "You don't believe such an obvious lie."

"It's not a lie." The tall, thin man said. "The consequences are too ghastly to name."

"Your fear disgusts me," Aizen murmured. "If God's laws are too hard to abide, you just kill God."

"I want _you_ to kill this _God_." Ginjo insisted, redirecting the conversation.

"Quickly," Aizen instructed, gesturing with Coyote's deformed right hand. Coyote's legs snapped beneath him and he remained standing by pure will alone. "Time is of the essence, tell me who. Let's finish this deal."

"I want you to kill Byakuya Kuchiki." Ginjo explained. "And I'll pay you 100 human souls to do so."

"We have a d-d," Aizen sputtered, blood gushing from Coyote's mouth. The vision in Coyote's right eye suddenly stopped and warm liquid oozed from the socket. _Time is out_ , Aizen thought, slipping from consciousness.

"I'll get you your 100 days, Aizen." Ginjo said quickly, rushing toward Aizen. "Everything will be taken care of before your return…"

Coyote lifted his right hand, his fingers curling around his throat. He groaned and sputtered, the agony more than unbearable. His entire body felt as if it was on fire, or perhaps as if he were being quartered, pulled apart in separate directions. Ginjo's approaching face was blurry in his remaining eye, he tried to move, tried to pull away, but then everything went dark again.

* * *

Coyote sat up abruptly, like a corpse with severe bloat. He looked around the dark room uncertainly before trying to stand. He felt weak on his feet and nearly collapsed, grabbing the bed beside him for support. "Where's that God damned urn?"

Coyote shook his head, fighting the overwhelming feeling of intoxication. "You should rest."

Coyote looked at the tall, thin man, surprised that he could sit in the corner of the room unnoticed for so long. "Who are you?"

"Shukuro Tsukishima." The man said simply.

"Okay, well, Mr. Tsukishima," Coyote muttered. "Where's the urn that I had with me when I arrived?"

"You should rest." Tsukishima repeated.

"I will not rest." Coyote growled. "Give me back the fucking urn so I can leave this fucking place…"

"The urn is with Master Ginjo." Tsukishima explained, watching Coyote with critical interest.

"I don't think you understand the situation you are in here." Coyote said, straightening up with a grimace. "My Master will have a body very soon. Once he has a body, he will kill every single one of you…"

"Perhaps he will." Tsukishima acknowledged.

"He's very protective over me, so don't be surprised when he jabs you all full of holes…" Coyote continued edging toward the door.

"I don't think he will." Tsukishima shook his head simply.

"You don't know him." Coyote barked, holding his sore abdomen. "You've got no idea…"

"That type of person is incapable of protection, because protection comes from a place of love, _or admiration_." Tsukishima explained, his hooded eyes blinking. "And that creature is incapable of love."

"Fine then, he's very possessive…" Coyote corrected, taking a deep, painful breath.

"You are unloved, Coyote Starrk." Tsukishima spoke softly, but the words were like swords. "It is not your fault."

"I need you to shut up." Coyote whispered, his blue eyes burning into Tsukishima. "Okay?"

"Do not become disillusioned." Tsukishima continued. "The feeling is mutual, after all."

"What are you talking about?" Coyote demanded, turning around to face Tsukishima.

"Your thoughts…" Tsukishima explained, gesturing toward his temple. "Are bleeding out of your head."

"That's great." Coyote said dryly with a nod. "Just ignore them, they aren't meant for you anyhow."

"I apologize." Tsukishima murmured. "But your thoughts are so full of hurt. There's so much sadness and longing and despair…" Tsukishima leaned forward in his chair, his long legs shifting delicately. "I just want to be nearer to you. I want to absorb every thought… Every single drop of your aching…"

Coyote looked at Tsukishima for a long moment before responding, "I won't let Aizen kill you. I want to kill you myself."

"You have such little control…" Tsukishima murmured detachedly, as if he were commenting on Coyote from far away.

"My thoughts are mine alone." Coyote insisted, clutching Tsukishima's arm and wrenching him from his seat. He pushed Tsukishima forcefully, knocking him out into the hallway. "Don't you dare…" Coyote threatened, raising his cursed hand pointedly. "Just stay out of my head!"

Tsukishima grabbed Coyote's hand, his frozen skin nearly painful to the touch. Tsukishima didn't smile or tease or exert his strength over Coyote in anyway. He stood silently, holding Coyote's clawed, brown hand in his. "It is not your fault."

"What's not?" Coyote demanded, his voice rising in volume.

"None of it." Tsukishima said. Although kind, the words wounded Coyote. He doubled over, his hand held above his head in Tsukishima's grip. Coyote struggled to breathe before righting himself again.

"Please leave me alone." Coyote said simply, removing his hand from Tsukishima's grasp. "I do not know what you expect of me…"

"Your job is to heal." Tsukishima replied. "Everything is being taken care of. We're already preparing the100 souls for Aizen."

"100 souls?" Coyote's eyes widened in shock. "You've done what?"

"It was part of our arrangement."

"Do you have any idea what you've done? 100 souls? That means he can walk around for 100 days!"

"Yes, we know."

"Why on Earth would you want that?" Coyote groaned. "You've made a terrible mistake."

"Perhaps, but it was not my decision."

"Whose then? Ginjo's?" Coyote asked, shaking his head.

"Of course," Tsukishima replied.

"If you think my Master will help you, you're crazy. And if you think my Master won't get bored, and decide to entertain himself with your entire coven, then you're crazy and stupid…." Coyote sighed heavily. "You've really screwed me over here. But you'll probably end up dying horribly, so I'm not too miffed."

"You should rest." Tsukishima repeated, walking back into the room and sitting down on his chair.

"Are you my guard or something?" Coyote demanded. "Am I a prisoner now?"

"This situation is beyond your control." Tsukishima said simply. "There is no reason for you to concern yourself with it any further."

* * *

"You should eat…" Amar insisted, placing the tray on the table beside Coyote's bed.

"I don't want to." Coyote pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and turning up his nose in protest.

"You must maintain your strength," Haziq insisted, an impish smile spreading across his dark face.

"Get rid of this guy," Coyote demanded, nodding toward Tsukishima pointedly. "And I'll eat anything you put in front of me…"

"Ah, please," Amar murmured, dropping his eyes in shame. "Master Tsukishima is…"

"I get it. I get it." Coyote groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

"Don't stress out so much, please," Haziq pleaded, his small, smooth hands brushing across Coyote's cheek. "You are our honored guest."

"I don't think you understand what that sentence means." Coyote groaned, shaking his head. Coyote looked at Tsukishima critically before speaking in Malay. "I like you. I don't want you to die horrifically, either of you," Coyote insisted, looking between Haziq and Amar. "I need to get out of here. I need your help."

"No." Amar said firmly.

Haziq waivered, his eyes downcast. He opened his mouth to reply, but then simply shook his head. He fidgeted nervously, unable to meet Coyote's gaze. "I've seen the future…"

"Haziq, no." Amar growled.

"What future?" Coyote questioned.

"You should stay here." Haziq answered simply.

"No, I won't."

"You must." Haziq insisted.

"I won't." Coyote barked. "I'm under no obligation to help you. I owe you vampires nothing!"

"There is a war." Amar said suddenly. "It's coming to our coven."

"That has nothing to do with me."

"I have seen it! I have seen you die!" Haziq blurted. "The same people who will stand against us will be the same people who stand over your corpse."

"I can't die." Coyote muttered. "Not even when I want to."

"Everything and everyone dies." Amar whispered. "Except the Creator."

"This has nothing to do with me." Coyote repeated, shaking his head in refusal. "And I'm not feeling particularly charitable."

"Your mind is racing." Tsukishima said simply, searching Coyote's handsome face. "What they are saying worries you."

"I'm not worried." Coyote lied. "I've just got a sour-looking face."

"What were they saying?" Tsukishima pressed, his attention never leaving Coyote.

"I've met lots of people in my life. And they all think they are somehow different than the others. What I see, what I know, is that human, vampire, shifter, master; everyone wants to feel important. And none of us really are."

"You don't think you're a piece of a larger picture?" Tsukishima asked.

"I think I'm a blade of grass." Coyote replied. "There are countless others just like me. And when I die, no one will notice that I'm gone, or you for that matter…"

"You're a very gloomy fellow, Coyote Starrk." Tsukishima noted.

"That's temporary too."

* * *

"Good evening, Vicomte Starrk!" Ginjo called our cheerily as he stepped into the room. "Are you warm enough in here? Need another blanket?"

"He's still on a hunger strike." Tsukishima announced, lowering his goblet between his legs. He shifted on his chair, looking up at Ginjo with irritation.

"It's been a week, Mr. Starrk." Ginjo sighed, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "You're only hurting yourself."

"It's the principal of the matter…" Coyote explained, nearly rolling his eyes at his momentary likeness to Jushiro Ukitake. "I will not eat or drink in the house of my enemy."

"Stoic." Ginjo said simply, shrugging his broad shoulders. "But ultimately worthless."

"We'll see." Coyote retorted, his blue eyes shining in the dark room.

"What are you thinking?" Ginjo wondered aloud.

"You can't tell?" Coyote mused, a smile snaking across his face.

"Tsukishima was right." Ginjo grinned. "You're fascinating."

"By the way," Coyote began. "The twins haven't been here in a few days…"

"Are you lonely, Coyote?" Ginjo teased, laughing loudly.

"I'd rather look at them, than you, that's all." Coyote replied shortly.

"They're an important military asset." Ginjo explained. "Believe it or not."

"Is that so?" Coyote murmured to himself.

"If you get too lonely," Ginjo called over his shoulder as he marched out the door. "Tsukishima will do in a pinch."

"I'm not that desperate." Coyote groaned, eying Tsukishima distastefully.

"He jests." Tsukishima spat, his jaw clenched tightly. Coyote looked over at Tsukishima, really looked, and suddenly felt a bit of pity for the tall man. He had been sitting in one spot for days, quietly, patiently keeping guard over Coyote.

"How'd you get guard duty anyway?" Coyote asked curiously.

"Everyone else was afraid." Tsukishima said simply.

"What? Of me?" Coyote questioned in disbelief.

"You've killed five members of the Coven." Tsukishima explained. "That's a rather grievous offense. Never mind, impossible."

"I didn't kill them. And you know it." Coyote breathed out.

"And you know that you're still dangerous."

"I warned you."

"I don't make the decisions. I merely follow them."

"That's a surefire way to end up dead." Coyote insisted.

"Perhaps." Tsukishima conceded with a nod.

"You've worn me down…" Coyote said with an exasperated groan. "What's your story?"

Tsukishima looked at Coyote curiously for a long moment before speaking. "If you're a blade of grass, then I'm a droplet of water. My life is an endless cycle."

"Cycle of what?"

"Death." Tsukishima murmured.

"Where're you from?" Coyote continued, leaning against the rough stone wall, his legs curled beneath him on the bed.

"I'm from…" And Tsukishima paused for a long wistful moment. "A valley." Tsukishima looked down at his goblet intensely. "Between two small mountain ranges. It was warm, the water was cold and clean…"

"Sounds nice."

"It was the most beautiful place on Earth." Tsukishima stated matter-of-factly. And then his face darkened, his stony expression returning. "That place is gone now."

"My home was like that." Coyote murmured. "It's still there, but it's gone from me."

"You never know," Tsukishima said, uncharacteristically soothing. "Maybe you will see it again one day."

"Probably as the last image before I die…" Coyote thought bitterly.

"Perhaps you'll come back as a blade of grass." Tsukishima said. "You can spend your entire next life in the valley of Nevers."

"Shut the fuck up." Coyote barked, tossing himself backward onto the bed. He closed his eyes tightly, rubbing his temples in agitation. "Why did I even bother with you?"


	11. The Sword of God

**_Part XI: The Sword of God_**

"Accursed be he that first invented war."

-Christopher Marlowe

* * *

"You're stupid." Orihime shouted, her fists curled at her side. "You're all so stupid!"

"Hush now, child." Petru whispered, patting her hair softly. "Don't yell at M'Lord."

"I don't want to stay here!" Orihime continued. She ducked out of Petru's grasp and ran toward Jushiro. "I want to go with you."

"It's nonnegotiable." Shunsui said flatly.

"I can't talk to those people!" Orihime whined, gesturing toward Vasile and Petru. "And they're creepy… And you need me…"

"What is the matter?" Byakuya asked, watching Orihime's outburst detachedly.

"She wants to come." Jushiro answered, smoothing her hair behind her ear.

"No." Byakuya said immediately, a snort of air escaping from his nose.

"Of course not, but she's just a child…" Jushiro explained. "It's hard for her to understand."

Byakuya nodded at Jushiro in understanding. He strode forward and kneeled in front of Orihime. He took her small, warm hand into his. He looked up at her, a handsome smile spreading across his face.

"When I was your age," Byakuya growled, his smile still plastered across his face. "I did as I was told or I was severely punished…" Byakuya tapped the end of Orihime's nose. "Children should be obedient."

"She can't understand you." Grimmjow pointed out, scratching his lower stomach lazily.

"When I was your age," Byakuya continued as if uninterrupted. "If I misbehaved or spoke without permission, my… _father…_ would beat me with a rod… this big around…" Byakuya gestured with his hands, his eerie smile still in place. "So be a good little girl."

"What's he saying?" Orihime asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"He said, 'You're staying. Be good or they'll beat you with sticks'." Grimmjow explained.

"Grim-" Jushiro began to chastise.

Orihime let out a piercing scream. Her cheeks paled and she nearly crumpled to the ground in fright. Byakuya's fangs retracted rapidly, two small punctures marking her wrist. Blood oozed down her hand and onto the stone below. Byakuya licked his wet lips, blood staining his pale skin mauve.

"Our enemies don't use rods." Byakuya said as he stood. He released Orihime and she began to cry, rushing back toward Jushiro in shock. Byakuya adjusted his clothes, dabbing at his lips as an afterthought.

"Do not touch her ever again." Shunsui growled, his fist clenching the collar of Byakuya's shirt. He twisted the fabric tightly, lifting Byakuya off of the ground by his throat. "I will kill you."

"Hey, wait…" Ichigo interrupted, stepping forward. He raised his hands peaceably. "Byakuya was trying to help…"

"Shunsui." Jushiro said, his low voice firm and commanding. "Let go."

Shunsui looked over at Jushiro in surprise. Jushiro nodded and Shunsui released his hold on Byakuya. Byakuya landed on his feet limberly, not even staggering as his boots hit the stone floor. He smoothed his shirt and eyed Shunsui silently.

Orihime stood behind Jushiro, hiding from Byakuya's sight. Her wrist was no longer bleeding, but she was clearly terrified by the ordeal. Tears collected on her lashes and as she blinked they rolled down her round, youthful cheeks.

"You were right." Shunsui said after a long pause.

"Vasile, Petru," Byakuya said, turning toward his servants. "You will protect her with your life."

"Of course, Master." "Yes, M'Lord."

"Say farewell." Byakuya instructed. "We go." Byakuya let out a jagged breath. His choice of wording hung over him like a storm cloud.

"Your sword, M'Lord?" Petru asked anxiously.

"No, my sword will remain here. Use it to protect the child." Byakuya murmured. "Bring me the Sword of God."

"Of course, Master." Vasile said, nodding his head nervously. He swallowed uneasily before stalking off down the corridor.

"Whoa. That sounds cool." Grimmjow whispered, nudging Ichigo in the side.

"Be quiet." Ichigo groaned.

"Don't lie." Grimmjow teased under his breath. "It sounds cool. You know it sounds cool."

"It's just a sword." Ichigo sighed, sharing a look with Renji.

"It's just _The Sword of God_." Grimmjow continued, looking toward Renji for support. "I mean, that has a pretty cool sound to it. I don't even use a fucking sword and I'm jealous…"

"It does sound cool." Renji agreed to Ichigo's dismay.

"It's just the name." Ichigo insisted. "He probably named it himself…" Ichigo puffed out his shoulders. "I could start saying I have the Skin of God. Does that make me cooler?"

"You have The Skin of Lizard…" Grimmjow countered, snickering to himself. "Not the same thing at all." Ichigo grinned from ear to ear. "Uh oh. Are ya mad?" Grimmjow asked.

"Not at all." Ichigo answered cheerfully.

"Should I be scared?" Grimmjow questioned Renji.

"Absolutely." Renji said with a chuckle.

Vasile returned with the weapon in a very old and worn scabbard. He cradled the curved sword against his chest as he walked. He handed it to Byakuya carefully and Byakuya immediately unsheathed it. The bronze sparked noisily, the blade whipping through the air. "This is the Sword of God." Byakuya explained. "It was called the Sword of Mars by the Romans, but the Huns worshipped no western Gods. That is a false name."

"That's an Eastern-made sword." Jushiro noted, studying the artifact with interest.

"This was the sword of Attila the Hun." Byakuya replied. He looked down at the sword in his hand with reverence.

"May I hold it?" Jushiro asked without thought.

Byakuya almost immediately refused, but something gave him pause. He surveyed Jushiro's curious expression and slowly nodded. He presented the sword with both hands and Jushiro bowed before reaching for it. Jushiro turned the sword over and over in his hands, studying the curve of the blade and the surprising weight of the handle. "It's a good sword."

"It has stolen countless last breaths." Byakuya replied. And even though that was the extent of the conversation, the two of them came to an even deeper understanding. Jushiro bowed, handing the sword back to Byakuya who nodded in response.

* * *

"We must walk." Byakuya instructed, trudging through the piled snow.

"How far is it?" Jushiro asked, pulling his coat more tightly around himself.

"Far." Byakuya answered.

"I don't mean to complain…" Renji interjected. "But we don't handle the cold very well…"

"What do you mean?" Byakuya asked, turning to inspect Renji. "You were fine when we went to the village."

"Yeah, well," Renji spoke through clenched teeth. "I signed two contracts… and Ichigo…"

"I don't understand." Byakuya's eyes narrowed, as if he was deep in thought.

"We're gonna have to move fast." Ichigo said. He appeared nonchalant, but his body began to jerk unconsciously.

"Explain." Byakuya insisted as he looked between the two shifters.

"I shift into a chameleon." Ichigo answered. "And Renji can shift into a baboon or a python…"

"They're coldblooded." Grimmjow blurted at last. "They can't regulate their temperatures like the rest of us."

Byakuya let out a long sigh. He eyed Renji and Ichigo as if they were offensive to behold. "Can't you just shift into a baboon and walk?"

"Well, uh, it doesn't exactly work like that…" Renji muttered under his breath.

"We walk." Byakuya instructed, continuing down into the snow-covered valley. "When you pass out from exposure, we will simply carry you."

"Don't worry, Ichi," Grimmjow purred, knocking his shoulder against Ichigo's. "If you get all weak in the knees, I can carry ya…"

"I hate snow." Ichigo groaned, jogging down the hill toward Byakuya.

"Snow's the best." Grimmjow announced loudly, stripping himself. "Hey, warrior-san, wanna hold these for me?" Jushiro took Grimmjow's clothes as they were offered to him. "Some of us are just built for it."

Grimmjow's body shuddered, his tanned skin almost iridescent. His outline quivered and, with a single agonized groan, he transformed into a magnificent white panther. Blue tufts of hair sketched his ears and hackles. His brilliant blue eyes shone, even brighter in the field of pure snow.

The panther stalked forward, its pads pressing softly into the snow. It rubbed against Ichigo's legs, nearly knocking the shifter over. He reached out to grab its tail and it bolted away, an irritated growl lodged in its throat.

"All cats are the same." Ichigo called out loudly. "They beg for attention like naughty children, and then complain when they get it!"

Byakuya walked in silence, the panther ahead of him and at a distance, the human and Shunsui behind him, barely keeping pace. The other two shifters walked together. They laughed freely and chattered excitably with one another. He wondered for a moment at the extent of their relationship. He felt his cheeks heat and his heart beat in his chest weakly. "Oh, vomit." Byakuya muttered to himself, shaking his head and focusing on his own two feet.

"Hey."

Byakuya roused from his own little world, shocked to discover Renji walking beside him. Byakuya eyed Renji inquisitively, drinking in the details; the way Renji's eyes would turn to slits when he blinked, and the curious thick fur that grew along his neck and arms. "Hello." Byakuya replied lamely.

"We've been walking for about 6 hours." Renji pointed out, his hands shoved into his coat pockets.

"Then we're just under halfway done."

"Ah, good." Renji nodded his head. He stole a glance at Byakuya from the corner of his eyes. "Well, we were wondering…" Renji continued hopefully. "If we could take a break."

"Who is 'we'?" Byakuya asked, turning his head to look behind him.

Grimmjow had transformed back into human form, he carried the sleeping Ichigo princess style, his own coat placed over Ichigo protectively. Shunsui and Jushiro were tiny dots in the distance. They trekked forward without pause, their determination evident, but Jushiro's body could not withstand Byakuya's grueling pace.  
Byakuya nodded once, his clawed fingers curling into his palm. "We stop."

"Great." Renji sighed in relief.

"You know, you could have told me that people were falling behind." Byakuya pointed out, turning away from Renji and toward the open space looming ahead.

"We all just wanna get there." Renji responded. "And besides, I was enjoying the peace and quiet. You're a good person to walk with."

"I did not even realize we were walking together." Byakuya waved his hand dismissively.

"The snow suits you." Renji said suddenly.

Byakuya turned slightly, looking up at Renji. Renji stood, his face held impassively. Byakuya swallowed quietly, "How so?"

Renji smiled, a heart wrenchingly beautiful smile. His entire face lit up so handsomely, it made Byakuya's stomach ache. "Because you're…"

"For fuck's sake!" Grimmjow snarled. He adjusted Ichigo in his arms, looking at the two of them with annoyance. "Get a fire going already."

"I'll search for wood." Byakuya offered, ducking past Renji and a-lining for the far-off edge of the forest.

By the time Jushiro and Shunsui caught up, the fire was warm and inviting. They sat down on the logs arranged by the fire and raised their frozen hands. Ichigo yawned sleepily, wrapped in several coats, and he gave a small wave when he saw them.

"I'm so hungry." Shunsui complained, rubbing his stomach. "What's for dinner?"

"Lynx." Byakuya said simply, slinging a slab of bloody meat into Shunsui's hands.

"Those cat things?" Shunsui asked in horror, staring down at the raw flesh.

"Yeah, the poor little thing…" Grimmjow murmured, munching on a handful of frozen berries.

"Lynx are everywhere." Byakuya answered with a slightly offended shrug. "Besides, I would have to catch a hundred field voles to feed us."

"What are field voles?" Shunsui asked, considering his alternatives.

"A rodent." Byakuya said, loudly sucking blood from a slab of meat.

"Lynx, it is!" Shunsui proclaimed, tearing the meat in his hands. He offered the halves to Jushiro and the other selected his piece. They ate in relative silence, the fire finally reaching their bones. Shunsui realized how truly exhausted he was and slapped his cheek to wake himself up. "We need to find shelter."

"This is good." Byakuya called out. He lay in the snow, his arms folded beneath his head. He looked up at the blanket of stars, the fire illuminating his profile. "We're the biggest predators out here."

"That's true." Jushiro agreed, rubbing his arms.

"Is this a good place to stop, then?" Ichigo asked, settling further into Grimmjow's coat.

"Yes." Byakuya said simply. "We sleep now."

* * *

"Wake up."

"Huh?" Renji's eyes blinked open slowly. He tried to sit up as he realized there was a weight across his waist, pinning him to the ground.

"Shhh…" Byakuya murmured, placing his cold finger against Renji's lips. "Be quiet."

"Okay." Renji replied, blinking up at Byakuya straddling him. Byakuya's soft, black hair tickled across his skin and Renji bit down on his lip anxiously, willing his body not to respond. "What's going on?"

"Shhh…" Byakuya murmured, looking around suspiciously.

"Is someone here…?" Renji questioned nervously, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

"Shhhhh…" Byakuya whispered, his lips inches from Renji's. Renji's eyes widened in surprise, his hands shooting toward Byakuya's back as the vampire kissed him. Byakuya's hips rolled backward, his clawed fingers pressing into Renji's shoulders.

Renji felt breathless as Byakuya pulled away from the kiss. Renji sat up, his hands settling on Byakuya's slender waist. Pressed between the snow and Byakuya's icy body, Renji shivered. But he wanted more; he pulled Byakuya even closer, crushing his lips on top of the vampire's. They kissed passionately, their hands scrambling impatiently over the other's clothing.

"You're so beautiful…" Renji muttered appreciatively, almost as if in prayer.

"Shhhh…." Byakuya breathed out, air furling from his lips like smoke. His heart pounded in his chest and a pleasant peachy glow seemed to spread across his pale white skin. "We must be quiet."

"Okay…" Renji agreed with a drunken nod. "Quiet."

* * *

"What the hell happened here last night?" Grimmjow demanded, kicking at the mutilated carcass of a snow hare.

The valley surrounding the campsite was revolting. Rabbits and small rodents littered the snow; blood was smeared for yards around where they slept. There were handprints left in the blood, an occasional bare footprint. The scene came straight out of a nightmare.

"I got hungry." Byakuya replied absently, finger-combing his hair.

"Shit." Grimmjow breathed out, shaking his hand through his messy hair. "What a fucking mess."

"Did you get any sleep?" Shunsui asked after inspecting the wildlife carnage.

"I got enough." Byakuya said. "We need to keep moving."

"You okay?" Ichigo asked, nodding at Renji in gesture.

"Yeah, I'm great." Renji answered complacently, his hand brushing a fresh scab off of his neck.

"There's a lot of animal blood." Ichigo explained slowly. "But come on, I can still pick up the scent of your blood."

"Trust me," Renji said with a laugh. "I'm totally good."

"I'm not sure this is a wise decision…" Ichigo began reluctantly. "You know, we have a deal…"

"Don't." Renji lifted his hand in a silencing gesture. "Just don't."

"Renj," Ichigo groaned. "I'm sorry, I just don't wanna see you…"

"You take care of you first." Renji barked. "It's been 800 years and you and that fucking dickhead…"

"Whoa…" Grimmjow drawled, sliding up beside Ichigo. "Did someone call me?"

"I wasn't talking to you." Renji said, his jaw setting in anger.

"But you were talking about me…" Grimmjow teased, grinning widely. " _Amirite_?"

"Leave him alone." Ichigo instructed, his hand lightly tapping Grimmjow's broad chest. "I just need to mind my own business."

"Awww." Grimmjow whined playfully. "I thought we were gonna have a fight. I got all excited for nothing."

"Stop fighting amongst yourselves." Byakuya ordered, his voice quiet yet demanding. "I'm leaving."

Renji jogged until he caught up with Byakuya. They walked side by side, their hands nearly touching. Shunsui and Jushiro followed, Jushiro talking in hushed tones, mostly about Coyote. Grimmjow pushed Ichigo, grinning as he did so. Ichigo cursed, pulling the two coats he wore closer to himself. Eventually, they fell into pace beside each other, and even though they didn't touch, they both stole glances at the other as they walked.

* * *

"Stop." Byakuya said, pausing in his tracks. He looked up at the towering forest in front of them and sighed. "One step closer and they will know we are here."

"How close are we?" Ichigo asked, balancing a glowing orb of energy in his hands. He heated himself with the tiny ball, moving it from palm to palm absently.

"A few minutes run." Byakuya answered.

"We have tree coverage." Renji said excitedly, fur spreading across his arms. "We'll be able to move a lot faster now."

"Wait, before we go any further…" Byakuya called out, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Kill everyone." Grimmjow muttered. "Got it."

"Yes, but there is more…" Byakuya watched in dismay as Grimmjow transformed. The panther climbed a tree, advancing without waiting for further instruction.

"He doesn't do 'plans'." Ichigo explained apologetically.

"His love cervere will mask my scent entirely, Ukitake-san, yours too…" Byakuya explained. "But some of you," he looked at Renji pointedly. "Have very strong scents."

"So you want a head start." Renji offered with a smirk. "Got it."

"It will take us a few minutes to reach the coven…" Byakuya explained.

"I'm fast. I'll catch up." Renji replied confidently.

"Ukitake-san, stay with me." Byakuya instructed. "Shunsui, I've seen only a fraction of your abilities, but I assume you're a melee fighter…"

"Well…" Shunsui looked a bit embarrassed. "I'm actually a trained swordsman, but…"

"He's an outright brawler." Jushiro admonished.

"Good." Byakuya said, his grey eyes softening. "I want you to obliterate the entire place."

"Got it."

"And Ichigo," Byakuya turned his attention to the orange-haired shifter. "I realize you don't enjoy fighting…" Ichigo looked at Byakuya with interest. "You prefer impossible opponents, right?"

Ichigo didn't know how to respond. And then Byakuya nodded and he realized Byakuya understood. Byakuya had read his thoughts, Byakuya was considering his feelings. Ichigo swallowed uncomfortably and nodded.

"I need you to kill the leader of this coven, Kugo Ginjo." Byakyuya explained. "He won't fight me. He'll avoid it at all costs."

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"We don't have time for long explanations." Byakuya replied. "Surmise it to say, you cannot kill the vampire who created you, without also killing yourself."

"Got it." Ichigo said with a nod. "Kugo Ginjo."

"The forest will be guarded." Byakuya continued. "Don't engage. Kill the vampire that runs away from you and not toward you. Those are scouts. They are our priority."

"Good luck," Shunsui murmured, kissing Jushiro's hand softly.

"I love you." Jushiro whispered. "Be careful. And remember," he looked up at Shunsui, his hand caressing Shunsui's face. "I will not let anyone bind you ever again."

"Remember to cut off their heads and remove their hearts." Byakuya interjected. "I want all of them dead."

* * *

The panther passed undetected through the trees and under the feet of the vampires. The panther released its sweet, sensuous poison as it ran. Love cervere dripped from its tongue, infected the air, with the most wondrous and pleasant daydreams.

The panther slinked out of the forest and toward the manor. It was a large home, nearly a castle itself, situated on the edge of cliff. A rocky river bank was at the end of a nasty drop off the cliff. The panther sniffed the air and turned away. A familiar scent caught the panther's attention and it began to climb up the side of the manor.

The panther climbed awkwardly, snow and ice nearly causing it to lose its footing. It let out an irritated hiss, its claws piercing into a bit of wood. Finally on level footing, the panther circled a small window, its muzzle pressed against the side of the manor. The panther released a huge breath of hallucinogenic smoke, and then, squeezed in through the unlocked window, disappearing into the manor.

Grimmjow dropped into a crouch, searching blindly in the wardrobe for a bit of clothing. He pulled on the undergarment and cinched it around his waist. He scrambled across the empty room, sniffing the air thoughtfully. He knew this scent.

He stood up slowly, his back pressed against the wooden wall. He opened the door, peering into the hallway through the crack. He saw no one but the scent grew dizzyingly stronger and that's when Grimmjow realized that the other person was consciously sending out their scent. Grimmjow nodded, mumbling under his breath as he walked.

Grimmjow froze as a door opened at the end of the hallway. He looked from side to side, unsure if he could make it back to the other room in time. And then Coyote Starrk pushed past the door. He was in a state of undress, his shirt open, his chest exposed. He fumbled with the belt of his trousers. A bit of fresh blood had soaked into the front of his pants.

He looked Grimmjow up and down and then he bolted toward him. Grimmjow could barely process what Coyote said as the young shifter's hand wrapped around his wrist. Grimmjow blinked stupidly, and then was yanked down the hallway. The door Coyote had exited suddenly splintered and a hideous black wolf scrambled after them. It was then that Coyote's word of warning finally reached him, " **Run**!"


	12. Creatures in Cold Mirrors

**_Part XII: Creatures in Cold Mirrors_**

"Because no one has more thirst for earth, for blood, and for ferocious sexuality than the creatures who inhabit cold mirrors"  
― Alejandra Pizarnik

* * *

The wolf's jaws snapped open and shut; spit flying in every direction. The wolf seemed to fluctuate between an average black wolf and a terrifying werewolf with human-like proportions. It chased after them, its foul breath fanning across Grimmjow's exposed ankles.

Grimmjow let out a low growl, twisting around to face forward. He pushed Coyote in front of himself, running full out down the hallway. "Wait!" Coyote yelled, turning his head to the side.

"No! Don't stop! Go!" Grimmjow shouted, his knees lifting above his waist as he ran. "Move! Move! Move!"

Coyote crashed through the window at the end of hallway. He partially transformed as he rolled down the shingled roof. Grimmjow cursed and, with beautiful coordination, landed on the roof in panther form. Coyote groaned, holding onto the edge of the icy roof. He nearly slipped and he struggled to right himself.

The panther spun around, hissing and swatting as the wolf climbed onto the roof after them. Copious smoke billowed from the panther's mouth. No breath escaped the wolf. And then it suddenly lunged, its teeth tearing at the panther's throat. The panther and the wolf tumbled over one another. They fought viciously, fur and blood spraying into the air. The panther let out a terrible cry, blood spewing from its neck wound grotesquely. And then the cry stopped, the panther sinking lifelessly against the roof. The wolf howled, its blood soaked muzzle pressed against the panther's throat.

"Stop!" Coyote yelled, raising his hands peaceably. "Don't kill him…"

 _Why?_ Tsukishima's voice filled his head.

"Because we share a Master." Coyote suggested, scooting away from the edge of the roof. "The Master that you are trying to be friends with… Remember?"

 _We have you. We don't need him_ , Tsukishima snarled.

 _"_ _Don't be stupid." Coyote said bravely, standing up with great effort. "You don't have me."_

 _Tsukishima transformed back into his human form. He loomed over Grimmjow's prone body and watched Coyote expectantly, waiting for him to approach him in combat. But Coyote merely smiled and took a sudden, unanticipated step backward. And off the roof._

 _"_ _Shit!" Tsukishima slid forward on his belly, reaching out for Coyote with his hand. His fingers brushed through Coyote's curly hair but came up empty. He watched in horror as Coyote hurtled past the ground and toward the rocky river bed far, far below. "Shit!"_

 _Tsukishima growled in frustration, slamming his fists down against the roof. He cursed and screamed, beating his hands until they bled. He stood up and turned, watching intently as the panther's blood ran in tiny streams down the roof._

 _"_ _Fuck." Tsukishima didn't shout. He stood there and let out a disbelieving sigh._

 _The panther's body was gone._

 _Tsukishima walked carefully up toward the window, sliding inside awkwardly due to his incredible height. He crunched broken glass beneath his boots as he walked down the hall and back into Coyote's holding room._

"No 'Hello' first?" Grimmjow asked, smacking Coyote on the side of the head once Tsukishima had passed. "I immediately have to save your ass?"

"Thank you." Coyote sighed, leaning his head against the wall of the hallway. "So, what did he see anyway? Does he know we're still alive?"

"I can't tell you what other people see." Grimmjow explained, standing up. "I can just tell you whatever he saw didn't make him happy."

"Good." Coyote said, climbing to his feet.

"Alright," Grimmjow groaned. "Give me the rundown. Why are you here? Who was that guy? Why the fuck are you here? And who the fuck was that guy?"

"That was Tsukishima something or other…" Coyote explained. "He's a vampire. I'm being held as hostage of honor because they want Aizen to kill some other vampire." Coyote blinked slowly. "And why the hell are you here?"

"Listen lil' pup," Grimmjow whispered, grabbing Coyote by the arm and dragging him along beside him. "We're here to fuck shit up. I mean just take the whole place to Hell. It's time for you to get out."

"I can't." Coyote groaned. "They have the Master."

"It doesn't matter." Grimmjow whispered, pushing Coyote into the room that he first entered through. "Ya think I never lost that fucking urn? It doesn't matter at all…"

"What? Then why in God's name do I carry it around everywhere?!" Coyote bemoaned.

"Well, he prefers if ya don't lose it…" Grimmjow conceded, tilting his head thoughtfully.

"Wait…" Coyote paused, his hand wrapping around Grimmjow's arm. "What do you mean 'we'?"

"Papa Wolf, Mama-san, Ichi, Monkey-Ass," Grimmjow counted off his fingers in gesture.

"What are they doing here?" Coyote demanded, his blue eyes narrowing. "Where's Orihime?"

"Look, Coyote, you're trying to make a clean break, right?" Grimmjow asked. Coyote nodded slowly and Grimmjow continued, "I get it. And I respect that. So if ya wanna get out of here without a messy reunion, go now."

"These guys are strong." Coyote warned, scratching his neck.

"So are we." Grimmjow insisted, smacking his fists together. "Just go. Oh and look out for a black-haired vampire. Long face, sad-looking. He'll kill ya if he thinks you're one of these guys…"

"But…" Coyote began to argue. Grimmjow didn't hear him. Every fiber of his body reacted to the piercing scream that tore from his own throat. He looked down at Coyote's hand impaled through his abdomen, his blood pouring onto the floor with a sickening rush. "I really need to stay."

Grimmjow choked, blood spurting past his sharp, white teeth. Coyote took a rapid step backward, his hand crushing the bloodied, pink organ between his fingers. Grimmjow pressed his hand against the gaping wound and dropped to his knees. "Ai…z…en…"

* * *

"This scent…" Shunsui's eyes opened wide and he looked around at his companions in shock. The unmistakable scent of Grimmjow's blood, carried by a light breeze, washed over them.

"Oh…", was all Ichigo said. His skin blurred, his features melting away into invisibility. He disappeared without another sound, the tree branches above their heads creaking under his velocity.

"Why did Ichigo go ahead?" Jushiro asked between panting breaths.

"Grimmjow has been wounded." Byakuya said in explanation, grabbing Jushiro's arm to steady the other man. "There's a lot of blood."

"We shouldn't be splitting up like this…" Shunsui groaned as he ran.

"I can catch up to him." Byakuya murmured, a nervous breath escaping his pale lips. "Excuse me, Ukitake-san, but we need to hurry…"

"I'm trying…" Jushiro began. He let out a strangled cry as Byakuya hoisted him into the air. Byakuya cradled Jushiro's larger form against his chest and, without great difficulty, he increased his speed.

"They know we're here." Byakuya called over his shoulder, his form no more than a blur. "We need to hurry."

"Okay." Shunsui huffed, focusing his entirety on keeping pace with Byakuya. He felt a strange prickle along his neck and he let out a low growl, rushing forward to block Byakuya and Jushiro from harm. Shunsui snarled, spit flying as the word escaped his lips, "Scouts!"

The vampire had intended to land on Byakuya, but Shunsui had leapt forward, taking the brunt of the attack. He rolled to the ground, the vampire becoming entangled in his limbs. They rolled dangerously, hitting and smacking each other and the ground so forcefully that Shunsui fought the urge to be sick.

With a weakened groan, Shunsui hit a fallen log, finally halting his tumultuous descent. He cursed loudly, his head spinning. He opened his eyes slowly, his face pressed against the frozen face of a vampire. The vampire hissed, peeling off of him and scrambling backward.

"Who are you?" Shunsui asked, holding his head in both hands. He took several deep breaths, willing himself to climb to his feet.

"What are you?" the vampire asked.

Shunsui looked around but Byakuya and Jushiro were long gone. Shunsui sighed and rolled onto his knees. "I'm a Samurai."

"A Samu-rai?" the vampire repeated the foreign word with interest.

"Yes, a Samurai." Shunsui reiterated, brushing his clothes off as he stood.

"You've entered the territory of our Coven." The vampire explained. "That is forbidden."

"Yeah, yeah."

"You've also associated with the enemy of our Coven, The Count Dracula…" the vampire continued. "That is forbidden."

"Of course it is." Shunsui murmured, swallowing the last bit of sickness that he felt.

"Both offenses are punishable by death." The vampire breathed.

"Let's get to the part where we fight." Shunsui provoked. "I'm in a bit of a rush today."

"I will kill you…" the vampire claimed, his fangs protruding from his lips. "And suck your body dry…" The vampire hissed, his eyes darkening with blood lust.

And then the vampire's head flew clean off his shoulders. The head still wore an expression of shock as it hit the tree behind them. Shunsui let out a startled scream, staring at the still standing body of the decapitated vampire. "What the hell…?"

"Rip out the heart!" Renji ordered. He dropped to the ground, stepping around Shunsui and toward the headless vampire. His fist pierced through the vampire's chest, clenching around the blackened organ. He crushed the heart in his hands, ripping it from the chest cavity without hesitation.

He threw the heart on the ground, stomping it underfoot. He smeared the black tar-like blood over himself, in an attempt to mask his own strong scent. He eyed Shunsui, an arrogant smile spreading his lips. "You okay there?"

"Yeah, sure…" Shunsui replied, still in shock.

"We're not here to play." Renji said softly. "We're here to kill them all. Cut off their heads, cut out their hearts. Remember?"

"Yeah, I was going to…" Shunsui murmured, staring at Renji's blood-soaked hands.

"Grimmjow's hurt." Renji said, rousing Shunsui from his momentary stupor. "Ichigo went ahead, didn't he?"

"Yeah." Shunsui replied. "He just took off."

"We should get going too." Renji suggested, looking down at the vampire expectantly. "Do you think it's really dead?"

"Aren't we supposed to bury it or something?" Shunsui wracked his brain, trying to remember.

"Oh shit." Renji groaned. "Were we?"

"You don't remember?" Shunsui demanded.

"Shut up!" Renji barked. "You can't remember either…"

"Wait, wait…" Shunsui mumbled, deep in thought. "We're supposed to bury it upside down, right?"

"But do we have to do it now?" Renji asked. "I mean, we're in a rush… The other vampires aren't going to wait for us to bury their friends are they?"

"Good point." Shunsui breathed. "How long do you think we can wait to bury them?"

"I have no idea." Renji sighed. "Let's just do it now."

"Sure." Shunsui agreed, nodding his head.

"Well…" Renji began pointedly. "Start digging…"

"What? Me? I don't have a shovel or anything…" Shunsui pointed out.

"You're a fucking wolf." Renji said, smacking his hand against Shunsui's forehead.

"This is fucking permafrost!" Shunsui growled. "Do you have any idea how hard it will be to dig a hole with my hands?"

The vampire's body sat up suddenly, the arms stretching out around the body. Shunsui and Renji cursed, both men kicking the body back to the ground. They stomped on the corpse repeatedly, foul words and threats issuing from both of their mouths.

"Dig the fucking hole." Renji demanded.

"I'm digging, I'm digging." Shunsui barked, dropping to the frozen ground.

* * *

Ichigo followed Grimmjow's trail, climbing through the window and into the empty bedroom. He stepped into a warm, fresh pool of blood, the red liquid seeping between his bare toes. The room was empty, Grimmjow was gone. Ichigo took a deep, measured breath before following the trail of blood into the hallway. The window at the end was broken, glass shards littered across the floor.

Coyote's scent was intense, nearly masking Grimmjow's lingering trail. Ichigo moved quickly, scaling the wall and then walking along the ceiling. He turned down hall after hall, desperately searching for Grimmjow.

Ichigo paused as a group of vampires ran beneath him. They were anxious, whispering amongst themselves about the dangerous orders they had just received. Ichigo swallowed with great difficulty, Grimmjow's scent nearly disappearing.

 _Ichigo._

It was faint, but Ichigo heard it. Ichigo's chest swelled and he nearly choked on the relief. _I'm coming. Just hold on,_ Ichigo thought.

Ichigo followed the dying scent and found himself in a peculiar, circular room. Coyote sat in a chair, Grimmjow at his feet. Grimmjow was horribly wounded, his intestines torn from his abdomen. He had only moments left to live. His final moments would be saturated with pain and agony.

"You can't let him die." Coyote said aloud.

"I can and I will." Coyote replied.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he crept along the ceiling for a closer look. Coyote sat in a chair before a mirror. He smiled but his reflection did not. His reflection spoke, the Coyote in the chair's mouth unmoving, "If you don't save him, I'll never forgive you."

"I don't need your forgiveness." Coyote in the chair spoke. He scoffed, looking away from the mirror for a brief moment.

The reflection, looking forlorn and broken, panicked, pressing his hands against the mirror as if it were a barrier. "Please… Please save him…"

"Why?" Coyote in the chair asked.

"Why not?" The reflection demanded. "Are you scared of him? Do you think he can defeat you? What does it matter to you? Let him live…"

Coyote in the chair looked demented by rage. His face rippled before he was finally able to speak again, "I don't know fear, Coyote."

"Just this once." The reflection pleaded. "Just this once, for me… Please… He's dying…"

Ichigo was unable to move. He realized exactly what was happening to Coyote.

"Please!" The reflection shouted. "He's dying!"

Coyote in the chair moved swiftly, he tore his own pinky off, a howl of misery escaping his lips. His cursed hand steamed and hissed, black tendrils fighting to reattach the finger. But Coyote persevered, forcing the finger into Grimmjow's shoulder. The finger writhed and burrowed, burying itself deep inside of Grimmjow's flesh.

The harried reflection sighed in relief, his head bowing. "Thank you…"

Blood dripped down Coyote's nose, pooling between his feet. He cradled his cursed hand, ignoring the profuse blood that poured from his face. Coyote in the chair nodded and without warning collapsed forward, splaying across the floor.

Coyote the reflection disappeared and, with a gasp-like hiss, Grimmjow startled awake. He grunted in confusion, rolling Coyote's unconscious body off of him. He looked down at his sealing stomach, mumbling under his breath. He looked up, locking eyes with an invisible Ichigo.

"I was dead." Grimmjow groaned, rubbing his stomach in shock.

"Almost." Ichigo said, lowering himself to the ground, his form rippling into view.

"Did you miss me?" Grimmjow asked, smirking from ear to ear.

"Almost." Ichigo murmured, his hand brushing across Grimmjow's pale cheek.

"Coyote was possessed." Grimmjow explained, nudging Coyote with his foot.

"I saw." Ichigo exhaled. He kneeled beside Coyote, rolling the young man onto his back. Blood poured from his mouth and nose grotesquely. Ichigo sighed, cupping the shifter's cheek with his hand. "He needs help."

"The Council…" Grimmjow began to suggest.

"No." Ichigo replied flatly. "They won't help him. They'll just experiment on him…"

"Oh, no…" Grimmjow teased. "You're normally so pro-Council. I don't know how to take this new Ichigo."

"Take it from me," Ichigo said firmly. "And my past experiences. The Council are the last people Coyote needs to speak to."

"I believe ya." Grimmjow insisted. "I hate those cocksuckers."

"Rest here for a little while." Ichigo instructed. "Keep watch over Coyote. When he wakes, talk to him. Make sure Coyote is Coyote and then send him away from this place…"

"Okay," Grimmjow agreed with a weak nod. "But where are you going?"

"There's a battle going on, remember?" Ichigo stood slowly. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

"Alright." Grimmjow nodded obediently. "You too."

"I'm not a reckless, arrogant fool." Ichigo insisted with a stern smile. "I'll be fine."

"Go kick some ass, baby!" Grimmjow called out with a teasing smile.

"I'll kill you if you ever call me 'baby' again." Ichigo warned.

"Worth it…" Grimmjow replied playfully.

"Coyote just saved your life, by the way." Ichigo said, his skin rippling. "Don't waste it."

* * *

"Ah, Welcome to my humble abode." Ginjo called out, gesturing widely with his hands. "I have to say, I'm a little surprised to see you leave your castle…"

"I grew impatient." Byakuya said, letting the blood drip down his blade as he walked up the stairs. He flashed a handsome, deadly smile. "I was starting to think you were frightened of me."

"Ha!" Ginjo laughed raucously. "You're delusional."

"I already know," Byakuya began, his hand sliding up the rail of the stair. "That you won't fight me…" Byakuya's eyes glittered dangerously in the low light. "So who then is to be my opponent?"

"We are." Jackie hissed, raising her arms in challenge. "We all are!"

"One vampire against an entire coven?" Byakuya asked, clicking his tongue.

"Oh come now…" Ginjo drawled. "You think so highly of yourself. You don't think you can do it?"

"Oh, I know I can," Byakuya breathed lowly. "I suggest that you all come at me at once."

"You're insolent…." Ginjo snarled.

"And you are weak." Byakuya hissed in challenge. "You're an embarrassment to the race."

"Kill him!" Ginjo screamed in anger. "Kill him now!"

"The victor writes history, Ginjo." Byakuya taunted. "And I will see you removed from every single page of it. You are weak. You are a coward. And you are beneath me."

With a scream, Jackie threw herself at Byakuya. She pulled a dagger from her belt, slashing madly at his flesh. He blocked with his arm easily, much to her chagrin. She was relentless, pulling a second dagger from the band around her full thigh. She attacked with her dual weapons, forcing Byakuya to block with his sword.

She smiled victoriously as a thin scratch appeared across Byakuya's cheek. A tiny line of blood emerged from his pale cheek and he took a step back. He looked at her in silence for a long moment, his grey eyes wide and thoughtful. Finally he spoke, two little words that were so calm it sent a shudder down his opponent's spine. "My turn."


	13. Pestilence

**_Part XIII: Pestilence_**

 _"_ _My Turn,"_ Byakuya had warned, his eyes glowing. He opened his jacket, waving the fine fabric as if he were removing crumbs. A tiny bat fluttered out of his clothing and he waved his hand in annoyance until it fluttered high above his head.

"You speak tough for a dandy," Jackie growled, dragging her tongue along the smooth edge of the bloodied blade.

Byakuya's lips quivered, somewhat between suppressing a smile and deciding how to respond. However, he remained silent, opting instead to slice through the air with his curved sword. The sword swooshed noisily and Byakuya was forced to hold it with both of his hands.

"That sword's heavy and dull." Jackie hissed, pushing her daggers into her belt and pulling a long, slender blade from the sheath across her back. "You'll never be able to keep up, old man…"

"I cannot tell if you are confident or just idiotic." Byakuya murmured.

With no further delay, Byakuya's ancient sword clashed against Jackie's. The swords sparked and Jackie slid backward several yards. Her face contorted with rage as she began to slash blindly, her sword cutting through empty air. Byakuya ducked and dodged with perfect timing, almost as if it were a choreographed dance.

"Quit running away, coward!" Jackie roared, thrusting her sword with all of her strength. She smiled and let out a relieved laugh as the sword struck the target. Her smile faltered, however, when she looked up to see Byakuya holding the blade of her sword between his uninjured palms. "You fucking…"

"I am no coward." Byakuya said, his low voice rumbling from his throat and throughout the entire salon. Every vampire, Jackie included, felt as if they had been frozen in place. Fear gripped their minds, paralyzing them, and in unison, with a deafening boom, their dead hearts beat painfully in their chests.

"Attack him!" Ginjo shouted, urging the other vampires forward. "One of you isn't enough…"

"All of you won't be enough," Byakuya said, his neck twisting unnaturally to face Ginjo.

"Kill him! Kill him now!" Ginjo ordered, spit flying from his mouth.

Byakuya's face was like a mask. Countless vampires scrambled toward him, claws, fangs and man-made weapons at the ready. He stood tall and proud, waiting for the first enemy wave to meet him. And then, just as his sword sliced through the first throat, a wicked smile splayed his lips.

The sword was truly outstanding, and with that particular wielder, the Sword of God seemed to be forged by magma. It cut down his enemies with such smooth precision; it was as if they were melted by Hellfire.

"Cut off his arms!" Ginjo shouted. "Cut them off! Hack him to pieces! Get that sword away from him!"

A pile of corpses lay beneath Byakuya's feet. He stepped over them with no regard, laying waste to countless more with every passing minute. And that was when he saw her, like a revenant in a horror novel, floating down the stairs. His sword faltered, his eyes locked on the figure in disbelief.

 _I'm not her_ , the ghost murmured. She paused at the end of the stair, her ebony hair falling into her large, round eyes. She came into focus and Byakuya swallowed, nodding in realization.

 _You're not her._

Three, no, four blades pierced through him, the vampires happily taking advantage of his crippling distraction. He let out an agonized snarl, his hands curling around the tip of one of the blades. With a feral scream he yanked the sword through his own chest, the hilt wounding him grievously as he pulled it out the wrong direction. He crushed the blade in a single hand, the iron folding uselessly in his palm.

Another blade struck him, hitting one of the tendons in his shoulder. His arm drooped, his sword swinging down as if it were as heavy as an anchor. He cursed, his free hand desperately reaching around to remove the sword.

He was overwhelmed within seconds. He disappeared beneath the swarm of vampires and the foul scent of vampire blood filled the air. Ginjo smiled and nodded, rasping his knuckles against the railing. "Finish him."

There was a continued struggle. Byakuya's hand shot out of the pile, his sword still firmly grasped in his hand. The rest of his body was completely obscured, just a chilling hand, twitching with the last moments of life. The hand flicked peculiarly, the sword shooting upward into the air, and then the hand curled, disappearing back beneath the other vampires.

"Bring me the sword when you're finished," Ginjo instructed turning away from the carnage with a sigh. "Goodbye, Byakuya…"

The sword hovered in mid-air for the briefest moment and then with a blinding radiance the tiny bat transformed into a glowing white man. Jushiro held the sword in his hand, his hair falling around his face like feathers. He dropped to the blood-soaked floor and took a deep breath, looking around at the ravenous nest of vampires.

"Who the fuck are you?" Jackie asked, cocking her head to the side in bewilderment.

The sword of God sliced through her throat, her head rolling off her shoulders and sliding across the floor. Jushiro switched the sword to his other hand, the tip piercing through the vampire's chest. He impaled the heart on the sword, ripping the blackened organ from her body. Seamlessly, his right hand sprinkled the corpse with a strange earthy, black powder.

Ginjo watched in horror, his jaw hanging open in disbelief. The white haired man, a mere human, brandished the sword expertly, flicking his hair out of his face, "My name is Ukitake Jushiro and I am a samurai."

* * *

"Wake up."

Coyote felt a strange pressure against his cheek. His eyes opened abruptly and he sat up, Grimmjow's face coming into view. "What? What's going on? What's…?"

Grimmjow grinned mischievously, adjusting the waistband of his pants. "I wasn't doing anything weird; I was just trying to wake you up."

"What?" Coyote demanded, furrowing his brows in sleepy confusion.

"Nothing…" Grimmjow drawled with faux innocence.

"What's going on?" Coyote repeated, looking around the circular room curiously. He sat transfixed, staring into the mirror. For some reason he was frightened, afraid that he wouldn't see his own reflection.

"You murdered me, but then you saved me, so it's okay…" Grimmjow explained, simply adding to Coyote's misperception. "Come on, lil' pup, let's get you outta here." Grimmjow turned sharply, his hands transformed into claws. He eyed Coyote suspiciously for a long moment. "You're not going to flip out on me again are you?"

"Where am I?" Coyote asked, climbing to his feet. He couldn't turn his back on the mirror, it felt wrong and intimidating.

"Romania." Grimmjow stepped around the puddle of his drying blood and pulled Coyote from the room. Coyote struggled against his grip, walking backward until they left the room. "We're neck deep in vampire territory."

"Oh, yeah." Coyote muttered with a slow nod.

"But you're leaving…" Grimmjow continued, walking with Coyote's hand in his. That was an unusual tenderness that the ancient shifter gifted to no one.

"You're bleeding…" Coyote realized, inhaling the scent deeply.

"Not anymore." Grimmjow assured the other. "I'm okay."

"You've lost a lot of blood," Coyote insisted, halting in his tracks. He yanked on Grimmjow's arm with such surprising strength that the older shifter nearly bumped into him. Coyote held Grimmjow in place, inspecting the red patch of new skin that had grown over his abdomen. Coyote sniffed the air, a strange color creeping into his cheeks. "You have my scent on you."

"Check your finger, mate." Grimmjow muttered, a little embarrassed to be held in such a position. Coyote looked down at his hands. He studied them with intense interest, even as they curved around Grimmjow's shoulders. Grimmjow cursed under his breath, attempting to squirm out of Coyote's grasp. "Never mind, you've already healed… You were missing a finger on your right hand."

"It's not my hand." Coyote said suddenly, looking Grimmjow in the eye. "My hand is dead and rotted. It went on to Heaven ahead of me."

"Heaven? Ha!" Grimmjow ducked under Coyote's hold. He kept a distance between them as he spoke. "You can't believe in such a place, can you?"

"I absolutely do." Coyote said.

"Look, man," Grimmjow said, walking down the hall and gesturing for Coyote to follow. "I was born before Islam and Judaism and Christianity and all that nonsense. I was around when it was made up. It's all fake…"

"I believe in the Heaven _before_ that." Coyote stated matter-of-factly.

"You mean you think the trees and rivers are Gods and the moon is a spirit?" Grimmjow laughed, beckoning Coyote to follow him. "Come on, we need to get moving."

"I believe that Heaven is grassy and full of flowers. And there is a river…" Coyote paused midsentence. "Ukitake-san is here."

"Yes." Grimmjow sighed. "We're in the middle of an important battle."

"We should help." Coyote realized, looking up with wide eyes.

"Yes!" Grimmjow nearly shouted. "So you need to hurry along. Get the fuck outta here so I can go help everyone else." A wisp of smoke escaped Grimmjow's lips. "Aizen is going to have 100 days to walk. You and I both know, life is going to be hell. Do you want that hell anywhere near that human brat?"

"Orihime?" Coyote asked.

"Yeah, or Ukitake-san… either one…" Grimmjow teased.

"He'd kill you for that." Coyote murmured.

"Humans and shifters should not mix." Grimmjow said seriously. "Sorry, wolf pup… I don't know why Shunsui is different, he just is… The Master doesn't connect with him like he does you or did me…"

"I know what I have to do. And I know what you're telling me to do…" Coyote began, speaking quickly.

"You've gotta separate from your pack." Grimmjow elucidated.

"I don't want to be alone." Coyote admitted so suddenly that he didn't have a chance to stop the confession.

Grimmjow stood in shocked silence for a brief moment before his features visibly softened. He reached out a hand, soft white fur lining his fingers. "It's better to live alone than lose something irreplaceable."

"Is that why you live alone?" Coyote demanded, wanting to cause as much pain as he felt inside of himself.

"Yes." Grimmjow admitted.

"Well, I don't think I'm that selfless." Coyote spat.

"Nah, little pup, you're way worse…" Grimmjow choked out a strained laugh. "Every bone in your body is noble, it's sickening."

"So I leave." Coyote nodded his head in acceptance.

"And they'll look for you. They'll follow you across the world." Grimmjow pointed out.

"But I never let them catch up." Coyote said.

"Never let them catch up." Grimmjow agreed.

"He gets to have everything I've ever wanted…" Coyote whispered. "What do I get? Aizen? Over a century of pain and degradation?"

"They'll be happy." Grimmjow said softly. "Of course, they'll miss ya. But they'll be free and happy and safe. What does that mean to you?"

"Everything." Coyote admitted.

"Then leave." Grimmjow scratched at his neck miserably, nearly drawing blood.

"We share a Master." Coyote said. "That makes us brothers of a sort."

"I s'pose." Grimmjow agreed with a single nod.

"Protect them in my stead." Coyote demanded, his blue eyes burning into Grimmjow's. "Do not let any harm befall them." Coyote sighed anxiously, "Shunsui can't track for shit. He is worthless in so many aspects. He's just a big child. And Jushiro is sick. It's eating away at him. And Orihime's just a girl… She… They need me, but I can't be there…"

Much to Coyote's surprise, Grimmjow spit into his hand, offering it to Coyote in a handshake. "I accept."

"Thank you, you have no idea…" Coyote began, relief washing over him.

"Now fuck off." Grimmjow growled. "If I never see the Master again, it'll be too soon."

* * *

"A human?" Ginjo wrapped his hands tightly around the rail of the stairs. His eyes narrowed and he took a deep breath. "Are you truly a human? What sort of madness would lead you here to our coven?"

"That's the white horseman." Haziq called out, pointing toward Jushiro with panic.

"Well, I don't see a horse…." Ginjo teased, shrugging his shoulders. "I just see my next meal."

"The white horseman is Pestilence." Amar shouted, shaking his head back and forth nervously.

"Pestilence?" Ginjo repeated the word thoughtfully. "What does such a word mean to an immortal?"

"I cannot understand you," Jushiro sighed, flipping his sword around in preparation. "But it doesn't matter; you will all die this day."

Jushiro drew his own sword, wielding a sword in each hand. His form was beautiful, like a pure, white light in the darkness. He cut down dozens of vampires, blood soaking into the ends of his hair. He threw his katana into the air, taking only seconds to sprinkle the dark powder over the fallen vampires. The vial of powder returned to his robes and he caught the sword before it hit the floor.

Jushiro was one of the finest swordsmen to ever live, but a human could never outmatch a vampire's supernatural ability. He too was overwhelmed, the swords clutched tightly against his chest as he fell. The vampires drank greedily, punctures appearing over nearly every inch of his body.

"Finally," Ginjo groaned, pressing his fingertips to his temples. "What is the point of Seers who cannot predict a legitimate challenge?"

"Master Ginjo," Amar began. "Our apologies, please…"

"My vision is not wrong." Haziq barked, much to his brother's nervous dismay. "Everything I see will come to be."

"Ha!" Ginjo snapped. "Remember your place, foreigner."

Haziq did not reply, he merely pursed his lips tightly together, watching Ginjo with dark eyes. Amar whispered into Haziq's ear, tugging on his twin's arm, but Haziq didn't back down. Finally Ginjo looked away, settling on Jackie's corpse in dismay. "Is Byakuya dead yet?"

"He's dead." One of the vampires confirmed. "We just need to burn the body."

"Do it."

"Yes, sir."

But suddenly there was a revolting retching sound. The vampires turned, watching in shock as a group of them began to heave. Blood poured from their mouths, noses and eyes. It emptied out in bucketfuls, the warm blood steaming as it washed across the floor. "Oh my God…" Ginjo murmured, walking forward to assist but then stopping suddenly.

The vampires affected were huddled around Jushiro's body. They fell to their knees, their hands wrapped around their bleeding throats. They cried out, mewling and roaring in agony. Blood dripped from every orifice. Within a minute their bodies began to crumble, their skin peeling off in flaking sheets.

"What is this?" Ginjo demanded.

"Pestilence." Haziq answered flatly.

"Brother," Amar murmured, pulling against his brother uselessly.

"It's infectious. His blood is poison to us." Haziq continued, his eyes meeting Ginjo's. "And the next horseman…"

Haziq's words were drowned out by the screaming wind. The doors were thrown off their hinges, wood splintering in every direction. It was impossible to make sense of the twisting shape that burst into the manor. It slithered and coiled into the salon, its tail crushing everything in its path.

"Stop dying, you fools!" Ginjo shouted, the veins in his forehead pulsing. "Tsukishima! Tsukishima!"

But the creature swept through the room and out of it. The beast crashed through the walls, not even slowing down. "After it!" Ginjo ordered, his stomach twisting into painful, anxious knots.

"Master Ginjo…"

"M-Master…"

"What?" Ginjo shouted.

"The Lord…" "Byakuya is…" "Master Ginjo, I'm sorry…"

"What?" Ginjo demanded.

"The Count is gone."

"How?" Ginjo screeched, jogging down the stairs. He gave the vomiting vampires a wide birth, not even noticing that Jushiro's body was also missing. He ran toward where Byakuya's body had laid. His blood pooled on the floor, bits of his shredded clothing strewn throughout the rivers of red. "Find him."

"How?" Ginjo shouted, looking from the twins to Tsukishima as he appeared at the top of the stair. "How is one vampire inflicting so much damage?"

"He is not only one vampire." Amar said simply.

"Kill him, Tsukishima." Ginjo instructed. "I will kill that other creature and the human…"

"The red horseman," Haziq explained. "The horseman of War."

"This war is different, unlike Conquest, the red horseman brings about internal war, civil war…" Amar began to explain.

"Come with me, Haziq. Amar go with Tsukishima." Ginjo barked.

"We cannot separate, please." Amar pleaded.

"We are useless to you dead, please." Haziq said pointedly.

"We must not part," they said in unison.

"Fine." Ginjo conceded. "Both of you come with me!"

Ginjo and Tsukishma ran side by side, the twins behind them, inhaling deeply, tracking Byakuya and the strange creature. Suddenly Ginjo stopped, skidding across the floor; he turned toward Tsukishima, a strange furor twisting his face. "Where is the shifter?"

"What?" Tsukishima asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Coyote Starrk! You were supposed to be watching him." Ginjo snapped.

"I…" And Tsukishima's face fell. He swallowed uneasily and took a step back from Ginjo. "I'm so sorry, Master Ginjo…"

"What did you do?" Ginjo whispered.

"I am so sorry…" Tsukishima began to sweat, the dream-like enchantment suddenly ending. "I… I think he's gone…"

* * *

"Hey, you awake?"

Byakuya's eyes blinked open, his vision blurred. He reached out and touched the person above him, his cold hand brushing against a warm, smooth cheek. He felt drops of warm, wet liquid land on his lips and his tongue darted out greedily. He swallowed the blood, moaning as a wrist was placed to his mouth.

He suckled the arm hungrily, his eyes open but unseeing. He felt a warm body pressed against him. And he felt agony, oh God, he felt it. His heart beat in his chest and he fought the urge to claw it out of him. Heat spread down his throat, filling his stomach and shooting through his icy veins. For a moment he felt alive, it was painful and pleasurable and intoxicating.

He gasped, pulling away from the warm arm. He sat up, Renji coming into focus slowly. Byakuya licked his lips, tasting the shifter on his lips. Renji smiled, a crooked, handsome smile, and Byakuya felt another twinge in his chest. "Where's Ukitake?"

"Right here." Jushiro said. He rolled onto his knees and into Byakuya's view. He held the Sword of God in his hand, offering it to Byakuya with a nod. "Your sword."

"Thank you," Byakuya breathed out, letting himself sink back to the floor, his sword clutched in his hands. "I'm impressed you were able to keep hold of it."

"I understand the importance of a man's sword." Jushiro said simply, brushing his hands over his blood-stained skin. He peeled off the scabs on his arms; a bizarre, disturbed look in his eye.

"I need a few minutes." Byakuya murmured, closing his eyes. "My wounds are not yet fully healed."

"Drink my blood," Jushiro offered, scooting across the floor weakly.

"No." Byakuya refused, shaking his head. "A taste will not harm me, but any more than that and I will die."

"Why?" Jushiro asked, looking down at the visible blue veins in surprise.

"There is a curse in your blood. Heavy magic…" Byakuya murmured, biting down on his lip to stifle a painful groan.

"But not mine?" Renji asked, staring with concern at his fresh blood still smeared across Byakuya's pale lips.

"Not. Not yours." Byakuya agreed, opening his eyes. He watched Renji for a long moment before speaking again. "I'm surprised as well."

"They're coming." Renji warned, his eyes morphing into neon slits.

"I'm not ready." Byakuya admitted, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"I'll stall them." Renji offered. But Byakuya gripped his hand, holding him in place beside him. Renji looked down at Byakuya in surprise, waiting for the vampire to speak. "What's wrong?"

"Wait."

"Yes?" Renji murmured.

"They're too strong for you." Byakuya warned.

"The others are here." Renji pointed out. "They should be here any minute."

"You stay." Byakuya ordered gruffly. His arms wrapped around Renji tightly, his fangs sinking into Renji's warm flesh. Byakuya drank greedily, gulping and swallowing without pretense. Renji struggled, his hands tapping against Byakuya's back. And then Renji's body sagged, his weight pressing against Byakuya heavily.

"Don't hurt him!" Jushiro shouted, rushing toward them anxiously.

"Be safe." Byakuya whispered, lowering Renji's unconscious body to the floor gently. His face was inches from Renji's as he spoke and then his lips pressed against Renji's ever-so-slightly. He pulled away from Renji's warmth slowly, reluctantly. Byakuya stood, his wounds closing almost instantaneously. He nodded toward Jushiro, removing the remaining scraps of his shirt. His heart beat once very loudly, filling the room. "I go."


	14. This is No Man

**Part XIV: This is No Man**

 _"_ _It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things."_

-Lemony Snicket, The Reptile Room

* * *

"You look worn." Ginjo murmured, his hand trailing lazily off the end of the railing.

"And you look lost." Byakuya answered, his hand clenching the handle of his sword. "Are you certain you mean to face me?"

"I will be your opponent." Tsukishima said as he appeared at the top of the stair.

"Ah." Byakuya nodded his head in realization. "Of course…" He swallowed the heavy lump lodged in the back of his throat. "And that would leave you, Ginjo, free to do as you please."

"I'm just gonna go kill our lil' guest…" Ginjo drawled. "He's made quite a mess of my manor."

"Which one?" Byakuya asked, his lip quivering with the hint of a smile. "They've both made quite an example out of you."

"I'll gut them both." Ginjo snarled. "And bleed them dry."

"I'm afraid _that_ I cannot allow…" Byakuya hissed.

"You can't defeat me." Tsukishima said, drawing his own sword.

Tsukishima lunged forward, sparks spraying as their swords connected. Byakuya parried the blow, his curved blade darting sideways, blocking Ginjo's path. Ginjo raised his hands at the suddenness of the motion and Byakuya grinned. But Tsukishima wasted no time, within seconds Byakuya's attention was back on him. Byakuya twisted to the side, dipping low enough that the ends of his hair brushed against the ground.

Byakuya's sword shot upward, but, unbelievably, Tsukishima was primed to block it. "You're not a better swordsman than me…" Byakuya breathed, running to intercept Ginjo. He slid in front of the other vampire, his palm connecting with Ginjo's chest. Ginjo growled furiously, outraged at being stopped with a single hand.

Tsukishima stepped slowly, thoughtfully. He moved as if he had no intention of truly stopping Byakuya. Byakuya switched from one opponent to the next, severely limiting himself to mere defensive moves.

Tsukishima carved his sword along the floor, raising it just in time to block Byakuya's next swing. He smiled puckishly, his sword scraping along the floor noisily. Tsukishima moved first, his sword nicking the flesh just above Byakuya's protracted hipbone. Tsukishima's smile faltered as a stream of blood dripped from a wound on his cheek.

Ginjo grew impatient, putting all of his force into knocking Byakuya into the wall. "Haziq! Amar! Come!" Ginjo bellowed, his foot crushing down through the empty space Byakuya had occupied. "This is ridiculous!"

Byakuya rolled across the floor nimbly, his sword held in his hands. He climbed to his feet and, with an audible twist of his neck, he beckoned Tsukishima forward. "Come."

"I'm right here." Tsukishima murmured, his dark lashes fluttering against his paper-white skin. Once again Tsukishima dug his sword into the wooden floor beneath them. The noise was grating and made Byakuya's jaw twitch.

"Be serious." Byakuya demanded, thick rage cutting through his smooth voice.

"I am serious…" Tsukishima claimed with mock indignation.

"You waste time." Byakuya accused, looking from Tsukishima to Ginjo with realization. "Why?"

However, Byakuya didn't have the luxury of waiting for their reply. Tsukishima pounced forward, into the center of the sword-drawn circle. The wood groaned loudly and, before Byakuya could react, the floor boards cracked beneath the sudden pressure.

"Oh." The word escaped Byakuya's lips like a sigh. He was standing, his feet shoulder-width apart, his hands clutching his sword; and then, he was weightless. He stood in mid-air for a millisecond before abruptly crashing through the broken floor and into the room below.

"I'm going on ahead…" Ginjo called down the hole, giving a slight wave before disappearing.

Byakuya had landed on a bed, the footboard to be precise. The wood had splintered and he could feel blood draining into the skin at the point of contact. He grimaced, letting his body lay suspended on the rubble. He took a deep, agonized breath before sitting up.

Tsukishima was beside him, so close that they could reach out and touch one another. Byakuya threw his body to the other side, rolling across the broken wood until he hit the wall. He cursed and stood, his sword still held tightly in his hand.

Byakuya looked around the feminine room with piqued interest. The boudoir was rather elegant with tiny, glass figurines arranged neatly on the shelves. Glass and wood littered the floor and Byakuya felt a twinge of remorse as he crushed a rabbit statuette beneath his boot.

"This is rather unsporting…" Byakuya complained.

"Why?" Tsukishima asked, stumbling over a bit of debris. "I have just given myself the same handicap as you."

"I meant for Ginjo." Byakuya clarified. "He must not think much of you," Byakuya drawled cruelly. He knew Tsukishima's inner most insecurities, and he used his words like a knife. Byakuya rotated one of the figurines around, spacing it properly from the one beside it. "To have you resort to such a plan…"

"It was my plan." Tsukishima spat.

"And he agreed?" Byakuya asked. He lifted his sword in challenge. "He must have known you would die down here… and he still let you do it…"

"The beast upstairs…" Tsukishima began coolly. "The red-haired half-creature… He dies tonight." Tsukishima climbed over the rubble toward Byakuya. "But you will follow him soon thereafter…"

* * *

Shunsui strode through the battered front doors and into the manor. The place was in chaos. A large number of vampires stood huddled together, their hands over their heads. Conversely, a group of the males were mustering their courage; it seems they intended to fight the invaders along with their Master.

His scent was easily lost in the confusion, masked by panic and excitability. Without drawing attention, he had come to stand in the center of the room. He turned in a slow circle, an aggressive scent rolling off his shoulders and into the air.

Shunsui recalled his battle with the Quincys. He could still taste the scorching intensity in his throat. He could close his eyes and visualize the green eyed dragon. He could feel that eccentric laughter shake his entire body through the rock. _Transform all the way_ , the dragon had told him.

The air in the manor shifted and suddenly Shunsui's heavy, murderous scent was the only thing on anyone's mind.

Two floors above, the twins paused. "The Black Horse." Haziq murmured, holding onto his brother securely.

"What?" Ginjo asked, clearing his throat anxiously.

"The Black horseman." Amar began. "Famine."

"Famine?" Ginjo's eyes narrowed in thought. "I don't understand. Explain yourself."

"I can't." Amar answered. "I cannot see what is coming."

"What about you?" Ginjo demanded, grabbing hold of Haziq's shirt.

"I see nothing." Haziq replied, his black eyes meeting Ginjo's. "This is no man."

A chill settled into the castle, sinking into the framework as if it were bones. Ginjo's breath curled from his lips and he closed his mouth angrily. He released the slight vampire and turned away from the twins in anger. "I am no man either…"

* * *

"Renji-kun," Jushiro breathed, pulling the heavy shifter into his lap. He brushed his hands over Renji's slackened face, cupping his cold hands against the other's warm skin. "Renji…"

The shifter remained motionless. His beautiful tanned skin had taken on an alarming pallid complexion. Blood was smeared across his face, neck and chest. Jushiro leaned over, pressing his ear to Renji's chest. Suddenly, Renji gasped for air. The abrupt and loud sucking sound had caused Jushiro to curse aloud. Embarrassed, he slapped his palm against Renji's face impatiently. "Renji."

"Mmm?" A single brown eye opened.

"Are you alright?" Jushiro asked, leaning into Renji closely.

"I feel heavy…" Renji admitted. "And cold…"

"As long as you are speaking," Jushiro murmured, standing up unceremoniously. Renji groaned as he settled onto the floor. He looked up at Jushiro with sweetly blinking eyes. "You have the strength to walk."

"Walk?" Renji groaned. "Where are we walking?"

"Away."

"Huh?" Renji rocked himself onto his knees, slowly pulling himself to his feet.

"With haste, Renji-kun." Jushiro insisted, hooking his arm around Renji's.

"Why?" Renji asked dumbly, looking around the room in confusion.

"Because someone is about to walk through that door…" Jushiro explained, ushering Renji through another door. "And they want to kill you."

"I'm not gonna run away." Renji groaned, skidding to a halt.

"Yes you are." Jushiro ordered, his green eyes wide. "You're half-drunk on your feet."

"I'm fine." Renji lied, forcing his body to stop swaying where he stood.

"I also have my pride as a man," Jushiro acknowledged. He grabbed Renji's wrist and tugged him roughly. "I want to stay and fight, but that's impossible now. We're both too heavily wounded."

"I'm a shifter. I heal quick." Renji grunted, resisting Jushiro's pull.

"This is not the time for misplaced courage." Jushiro snapped. "You must recuperate."

"I'm fine…" Renji insisted. "I'd be even better if that damn son-of-a-bitch hadn't drained me like that…" Renji began to mutter heatedly beneath his breath.

"You have absolutely no chance of defeating him." Jushiro chastised, heaving Renji behind him as he walked. "I promise!"

"And how do you know?" Renji asked obstinately.

"He doesn't fight." Jushiro sighed, stopping for a moment to rest. He looked up at the shifter and shook his head. "It could be mistaken for cowardice, but it's concerning. He didn't become the Master of the Coven for no reason. He had to earn his title."

"Now I really want to fight him." Renji purred.

"Your life is not guaranteed, Renji." Jushiro snapped. "There is no guarantee any of us will live to see tomorrow."

"I thought you liked that about battle." Renji mused.

"I have a duty." Jushiro put both hands on Renji, pushing him through another door. "Orihime is just a child. She can't be left alone."

"I have no obligation to Orihime." Renji argued. "Let me face this guy."

"You're too weak, idiot." Jushiro growled, his elbow connecting with Renji's face. Renji's head knocked backward and he collapsed to the ground unconscious. Jushiro cursed to himself as he grabbed Renji's feet, dragging the shifter into a room off to the side. "Just lie down and be quiet."

* * *

Shunsui blinked rapidly, warm blood squishing deeper into his eyelashes. He wiped at his face, over and over, nearly clawing the blood from his skin. He turned in a tight circle, he felt nauseous, as if he had been spinning for hours, and he staggered forward.

His bare feet squeaked against the wet floor and with a small groan Shunsui hit the floor. He landed on his side, his hip, shoulder and the ends of his hair soaking up a fair amount of blood. He looked around the salon in a panic, scrambling to his feet. He slipped again, a curse escaping his lips, and he finally grabbed ahold of the couch in front of him. He dug his nails into the stained fabric, pulling himself to his feet.

His heart pounded nervously in his chest. He blinked unsurely again, scanning the room for any signs of life. _I need to bury them_ , Shunsui thought suddenly. He tiptoed naked through the carnage toward a corpse. He kneeled beside them, his fingers touching their pale skin. The vampire was dead, an inexplicable stone pillar thrust through her shoulder and out of her mouth. It was gruesome and Shunsui fought the urge to be sick.

He stood slowly, surveying the room. There were countless vampires littering the salon. Each body was horribly mangled. Each corpse was mutilated by stone. Shunsui was confused. He took a shallow breath and sat down on the edge of a chaise. He remembered coming through the front door. He remembered the vampires' unawareness. He remembered the thick, vicious limbs that had stretched from his own shadow.

And after that Shunsui woke up, standing in the center of the room with foul blood dripping into his eyes. The entire battle was obliterated from his memory. He squatted down into a vulnerable position, his hands wrapped over his head. He wracked his brain. What the hell was that stone? How the hell could he not remember the fight?

He realized that he wasn't going to get answers while cowering on the floor. He stood and searched for his clothing. He found them floating on top of a bona fide pool of blood. He sighed and threw his arms into the air.

Without much hesitation, he undressed the large vampire beside him. He was nearly the same height and possibly even wider than Shunsui. He pulled the pants up quickly, slinging the jacket, with minimal blood-staining, on with a relieved sigh. He left the shirt; it was doused with blood and torn nearly to shreds.

Shunsui felt weak. Whatever sort of battle had taken place, he had exerted all of his energy. He sat on the third stair from the bottom. He watched the vampire corpses carefully, looking for any signs of reanimation. After several long, boring minutes, he lay back on the stair, and even though it was awkward at first, he was so truly exhausted that he fell asleep stretched across the steps.

* * *

Silently, Ginjo ascended the stairs. He turned sharply onto the landing, his eyes narrowing.

"Shit."

Ginjo paused briefly, Amar and Haziq nearly running into the back of him, as his eyes settled on the shifter in front of him. "Who are you?"

"Eh." Grimmjow shrugged nonchalantly.

"Eh?" Ginjo asked, his claws protracting in anger.

"I already fought one of your kind." Grimmjow explained, scratching at the pink, new skin on his exposed stomach. He looked up into the air and sighed. "I've had a tough day."

"Oh? Is that so?" Ginjo arched a brow in irritation. "And?"

" _And_ … I hate to do this, but I feel like fucking shit." Grimmjow announced before suddenly looking back to Ginjo. He winked impishly while giving a lazy wave. And then unexpectedly, he twisted around and began to run full-out in the opposite direction.

"You fucking son-of-a-" Ginjo roared.

But Ginjo's words died in his throat. Almost as if there had been an explosion behind them, Haziq and Amar floated into the air. They separated swiftly, Haziq hitting the wall with a sickening crunch. Amar bounced in the air for several seconds before blood began to spray down on Ginjo in a fine mist.

Ginjo began to shake, the veins in his face and neck throbbing. He bellowed, watching Amar being ripped apart helplessly. Amar's leg hit the wall, and then an arm, and Ginjo moved out of the way just as Amar's blackened organs began to spill out. Amar's lifeless body finally dropped to the ground, his unseeing eyes staring up at Ginjo.

"What is this?" Ginjo whispered, looking around in shock.

"Amar…" Haziq cried out, scrambling to his knees. Blood oozed from his forehead, dripping down his face and into his eye. "Amar!'

"Be quiet!" Ginjo shouted. "Focus! Something is here!"

"The pale horseman…" Haziq moaned, crawling along the floor toward his brother's corpse. "The harbinger of death…"

"Stop with this insanity!" Ginjo ordered. He reached down and grabbed Haziq's wrist, pulling him to his feet. He ignored the slighter man's protests, pinning him in place with sheer force. "Where is it?"

"My brother!" Haziq cried. "Let me be with my brother."

"Unless you want to die, shut up." Ginjo barked, pressing his back against the wall of the hallway. He peered around suspiciously. "Show yourself demon! Show yourself!"

"Master Ginjo!" another vampire screamed, clambering up the stairs. "Master Ginjo! It is madness! There is death-" The vampire's face made a little 'o' of surprise, and then he was launched into the air. He was torn apart in seconds, his mutilated remains sliding back down the stairs.

"I see you now." Ginjo murmured. "Show yourself, little witch."

"I am not a witch." The disembodied voice seemed to reverberate around the hall.

"Your shape was lean enough to mistake for a woman." Ginjo purred. He reached up on the tips of his toes, his fingertips brushing over a silvery scale. The image shivered and the blood on the ceiling shifted. Ginjo smiled in relief. "I've got you."

"Hardly."

Ginjo was stunned into silence as a tiny orb of light began to grow in front of his eyes. The light shimmered across the invisible scales and Ginjo realized he had been mistaken. This invisible creature was enormous and now stood mere inches from him. The orb of light continued to grow, heat and a high-pitched sound emanating from it.

"Move!" Haziq shouted, kicking Ginjo's legs out from under him. The orb exploded harmlessly into the wall behind them. The wall was vaporized, the orb cutting through the house like a knife through butter.

"Haziq…" Was all Ginjo could manage to say. He climbed back to his feet, helping the smaller vampire up.

"Master, please…" Haziq pleaded. "You cannot win this."

"I will not be defeated by that fucking…" Ginjo growled, clenching his fists.

"The battle is over." Haziq continued. "We've lost…"

"He's right." Ichigo said, his human form shimmering into view. "Two battles are left."

"Ha." Ginjo laughed humorlessly. "You silly little boy…" Ginjo's teeth jutted from his mouth and he licked his lips hungrily. "Those two battles are what decide the war! I will not lose! Tsukishima will not lose!"

"Had I not been your opponent…" Ichigo began, walking toward Ginjo slowly. "Perhaps you could have been successful."

"You're pretty arrogant, kid." Ginjo said, his voice gravelly.

"Tch." Ichigo snorted impatiently. "I won't be gentle."

"Neither will I." Ginjo fumed.

Ginjo leapt forward, his claws slicing the air where Ichigo's face had been. He swiped and clawed, Ichigo blocking with his arms. Ginjo pushed forward, stepping over Amar's corpse, backing Ichigo against the wall. But instead of being trapped, Ichigo sprang into the air, walking along the ceiling with ease. He dropped down on the other side of Ginjo, easily blocking Ginjo's next attack.

"You're strong." Ginjo breathed, wiping the mingling blood and sweat from his eyes. "This isn't even your fight. Why'd you get involved?"

"Us? Weren't you the ones who threatened us first?" Ichigo demanded, his brown eyes wide and angry. "Who drew the first blood? It was your coven! All we wanted was to continue on… We were just passing through! This blood, this massacre is not on us. Your kind started it and my kind will damn well finish it…"

As if fueled by the challenge, Ginjo's speed and strength increased. He rammed his body against Ichigo's, pushing with all of his force. Ichigo let out a scream as Ginjo's teeth sank into his neck. Ginjo drank rapidly, blood spilling down Ichigo's peach-colored skin.

"Get off!" Ichigo grunted, knocking his knees into Ginjo's stomach. The vampire staggered backward, his tongue hungrily lapping at Ichigo's blood.

"You're all talk." Ginjo derided. "I've already had a taste and we've just started."

"It is a courtesy that I give." Ichigo declared, his eyes narrowed. "I think that a person should feel honor at their time of deaths. Not humiliating defeat. Not instant failure…" Ichigo's entire body seemed to hum with energy. "But if your wish is a swift death, I shall give it to you."

Ginjo could only throw his arms over his head as a stream of light exploded toward him. He felt the gust of wind wash over him, his clothes fluttering around his body. He felt the intense heat. He heard the screeching sound of the attack. But it wasn't until the hallway was silent that he realized what had happened.

He looked down at his boots, watching the mysterious red liquid fall in droplets. The droplets gushed uncontrollably and he took a labored breath. With each breath the droplets increased. Finally, he realized the whole in his chest. He placed his hand over the left side of his body. The wound was clean, instantly cauterized. He turned slowly, staring at his blackened heart lying decimated on the floor behind him.

"Whoa." Ginjo murmured, nodding slowly. And then he collapsed dead.

"Master Ginjo!" Haziq screamed, kneeling beside Ginjo's corpse. "Master, please!"

"Fight me." Ichigo requested.

"I won't." Haziq moaned. "I can't."

"I'm sorry." Ichigo spoke softly, an orb growing between his hands. "In that case I will simply reunite you and your brother."

"Thank you." Haziq said bravely. He closed his eyes and folded his hands together in prayer. "Thank you."


	15. Darling Husband, Wretched Sister

**_Part XV: Darling Husband, Wretched Sister_**

Byakuya crouched, his wounded shoulder resting heavily against the broken bed. A glass figurine was smashed beneath his feet, nearly unrecognizable in shape. He lifted the torso of the ballerina and crushed it into a fine dust in his hand.

"Your thoughts are elsewhere." Tsukishima accused.

"Guilty." Byakuya admitted, standing slowly. "An old man gets nostalgic sometimes."

He remembered centuries ago, when he had gifted a similar porcelain ballerina to a certain little girl. Her face had lit up with wonder, her hands clenching the gift excitedly. And then, unexpectedly, the child had grown angry. She watched her elder sister receive a different gift, and suddenly, her own seemed childish.

She had thrown the ballerina against the wall where it shattered into a thousand unamendable pieces. Byakuya raised his hand threateningly, but paused, surprised as tears began to stream down the girl's cheeks.

 _"_ _She's a wretched child!" Hisana fumed, wringing her hands together._

 _"_ _Nay, she's a normal girl." Byakuya said quietly, turning the page of his book._

 _"_ _She was such a sweet baby. And now… She's a terror on two legs!" Hisana continued._

 _"_ _Uh huh."_

 _"_ _She disrespects me. I am the lady of the house!" Hisana groaned, chomping on a bit of salted caramel as she spoke. "And she constantly misbehaves when you're around!"_

 _"_ _Well, you are sisters…" Byakuya reasoned, his gaze fixed intently on the page._

 _"_ _Do you think she does it on purpose?" Hisana asked nervously. "To make me appear to be a useless wife?"_

 _"_ _No, dear."_

 _"_ _If she were older, I would consider her a…" Hisana groaned, her legs spreading apart in a rather unladylike manner as she sank into the sofa. "Never mind. I mean you don't think…? Do you?"_

 _"_ _Do I what, dear?" Byakuya asked, marking a page for future reference._

 _"_ _I wish my parents were here." Hisana breathed out. "I'm not meant to be a mother, and I'm certainly not cut out for being the evil older sister…"_

 _"_ _You are lovely, my wife…" Byakuya murmured, his eyes scanning the page of his book. "There isn't an evil bone in your body…" He trailed off, totally engrossed in his reading._

 _"_ _Byakuya."_

 _"_ _Hmm?" Byakuya looked up from his book, his eyes meeting his wife's._

 _Hisana laughed merrily, her handsome, round cheeks staining pink. "I asked if you were hungry?"_

 _"_ _Oh." Byakuya nodded his head slowly. "Sorry. I was reading."_

 _"_ _And?" Hisana asked, her face upturned sweetly._

 _"_ _And…?" Byakuya repeated unsurely._

 _"_ _Are you hungry?" Hisana exclaimed with amusement._

 _"_ _Not really." Byakuya answered, his attention back to his book._

 _There was a moment of silence before Hisana spoke again, "What are you reading?"_

 _"_ _Child…" Byakuya began to chastise. "I cannot very well read if you interrupt me every few minutes…"_

 _Hisana leaned back against the sofa with a dramatic sigh. "But, darling husband…" She began, her lips curved as she spoke. "I'm famished."_

 _"_ _Then you should have said so." Byakuya said with a laugh. "I will ask Maria to prepare something…"_

 _"_ _I'm not hungry for food!" Hisana admonished. "I swear! You are incorrigible."_

 _"_ _Oh?" Byakuya drawled, closing his book shut with a thud. He leaned forward, draping his arm around her slender shoulders. "And what_ are _you hungry for?"_

 _"_ _Adventure." Hisana said simply, an unabashed smile on her face._

 _"_ _Then read a book." Byakuya said, thumping his book against the back of her head._

 _Hisana wrestled the book from his hands, winning simply because Byakuya refused to harm the book. She pulled the heavy tome into her lap and inspected the artful, neat print with dismay. "And what is this?!"_

 _"_ _The published manifestos of Yan Zhitui." Byakuya explained, pointing out the kanji as he spoke._

 _"_ _And this book, it is entertaining?" Hisana questioned, turning the pages slowly._

 _"_ _It is informative." Byakuya clarified._

 _"_ _What is it about?"_

 _"_ _The necessity of spanking naughty children." Byakuya said with a slight grin._

 _"_ _She's my sister." Hisana snapped. "You won't raise a hand to her."_

 _"_ _And I am your husband." Byakuya whispered. The words he spoke were malicious, but the intent was harmless._

 _"_ _In name only." Hisana pouted playfully. "You're such a tyrant."_

 _"_ _Don't say such awful things." Byakuya muttered, pulling his book from her hands._

 _"_ _It's true!" The small girl said, rushing out from behind the curtain._

 _"_ _What is true?" Hisana hissed, sitting up and adjusting her dress in surprise. "And where did you come from?"_

 _"_ _She's been here for quite some time." Byakuya replied, watching the young child approach. "I thought you knew."_

 _"_ _I most certainly did not! A lady does not sneak around and hide in the drapery!" Hisana sighed, pinching Rukia's ear between her fingers sharply._

 _"_ _Enough." Byakuya said softly, waving his hand in gesture. "Leave her be."_

 _"_ _T'is her own fault, husband." Hisana exclaimed, releasing her younger sister with reluctance._

 _"_ _She's in mourning." Byakuya said sympathetically._

 _"_ _In mourning? She can't even remember Tată or Mamă!" Hisana argued, curling her fists in anger at the young child._

 _"_ _You've never mourned something that never came to be?" Byakuya asked, his steely grey eyes focused on his wife intently._

 _"_ _Rukia, take your leave." Hisana instructed._

 _"_ _Yes, Ma'm." Rukia sighed._

 _"_ _Rukia… Hisana, if I may, would you allow her to sit here beside me for a moment?" Byakuya asked cautiously._

 _"_ _Of course." Hisana conceded._

 _"_ _Rukia," Byakuya spoke gently, helping the young girl settle into the chair beside him. "What is the matter?"_

 _She looked up at him with enormous eyes. Her eyes were like the night sky, glittering with stars. She closed her eyes and groaned, kicking her feet in agitation. "Nothing, brother."_

 _"_ _Come now, sister." Byakuya prodded, smiling up at Hisana. "Something troubles you."_

 _"_ _You're a Count." Rukia began slowly. "Does that mean you can sentence someone to death?"_

 _Byakuya looked as if he might laugh out loud. He leaned down and cupped Rukia's face in his hand. "And why would you ask such a question?"_

 _"_ _Because…" Rukia grumbled. "I hate Daniel Grigore! I want the crows to peck out his eyes!"_

 _"_ _Rukia!" Hisana hissed in shock._

 _"_ _Why, child?" Byakuya asked, sitting back in his chair. "You were friends not long ago."_

 _"_ _Just yesterday." Hisana interjected._

 _"_ _Well we aren't anymore." Rukia growled under her breath._

 _"_ _Daniel Grigore deserves to die?" Byakuya questioned. "If you say so, I will believe you."_

 _"_ _He does…" Rukia blurted, her cheeks staining immediately. "Well, I don't know… He definitely deserves a good kick in the arse!"_

 _"_ _Rukia!" Hisana groaned, pinching her temples._

 _"_ _Should I go eat him?" Byakuya asked, pressing a clawed finger against Rukia's throat. "Shall I slice his throat and swallow every last drop?"_

 _"_ _No!" Rukia cried out, her hand wrapping around his wrist. "No. I was wrong!"_

 _"_ _Then what should I do…?" Byakuya drawled. "How can I make you happy? You're driving my wife insane…" Byakuya smiled at Hisana handsomely. "Surely we can find the cause of your mischief."_

 _"_ _You're a monster." Rukia whispered, tears unexpectedly streaming down her cheeks. "And we're not a real family… And…"_

 _"_ _I am a monster." Byakuya agreed. "But that has nothing to do with you or Hisana."_

 _"_ _Why do you think we're not a real family, sister?" Hisana asked, leaning down in front of the small child._

 _"_ _You only married brother because Tată died…" Rukia cried. "The house, the land, the horses, the dresses… Everything would have disappeared. You married him for con-ven-ience…"_

 _"_ _Better brother than some old man!" Hisana snapped. "Better brother than some drunkard with a heavy hand!"_

 _"_ _Women cannot own property." Byakuya began slowly. "I know, I know, it's a ridiculous law." Byakuya took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Your father had two daughters. He asked me to protect you both and I would give my life to do so. There is nothing false about our family. It was created from deeper bonds than any other marriage of the noble class. I knew your father as boy. I knew your mother as a girl. They married for status. And they fell in love for themselves…"_

 _"_ _We are family." Hisana said soothingly. "And the Count will always protect us."_

* * *

"You're holding back…" Tsukishima muttered, pushing Byakuya back with his blade.

"Am I?" Byakuya arched an eyebrow, stumbling backward from the pressure.

"I want to see it." Tsukishima insisted. He lunged forward, the thin tip of his blade scratching Byakuya's forearm.

"What?" Byakuya questioned, his curved sword slicing through Tsukishima's shirt.

"You and that sword…" Tsukishima breathed out. "And what you can do with it."

"I kill with it." Byakuya said matter-of-factly.

"You've already died once today…" Tsukishima replied. "It won't be much work to finish you off now."

"You'd be surprised." Byakuya grunted, his sword slashing across Tsukishima's stomach. Byakuya's lips twitched as he fought against an arrogant smile. "I was nearly immortal before I became a vampire…"

"I've always admired that about you." Tsukishima exhaled slowly. He blocked Byakuya's next blow with his bare hand, enraging the other vampire. "Your faith in yourself is unshakeable."

"It is not blind faith, Tsukishima." Byakuya said in a low voice, his eyes locked onto Tsukishima's. "It is gained from experience after experience. If I weren't always the best, I would not still be here today."

"You cannot anger me." Tsukishima replied. "I told you, I like this part of you…"

"I care not if the truth begets a quarrel…" Byakuya muttered.

"Fight me like this…" Tsukishima breathed heavily, deeply. He seemed incensed suddenly, his cheeks gaining color. "Don't lose that look… Don't let it go out until your eyes go dark with death…"

"How troublesome." Byakuya complained, holding his sword in both hands.

"Brother…?" A small voice called from behind the door.

"How very troublesome." Byakuya sighed. He shook his head, shifting the hair from his face. "Sister."

The door pushed open, just enough space for a child to slip through. The vampire, appearing to be in no more than her early teens, stepped into the room. She stood amongst the debris, out of place in her delicate black dress. She looked around the demolished room, squinting up at the damaged ceiling.

The girl looked from Tsukishima to Byakuya with slight mortification. She looked as if she might become ill at any moment. She settled on Byakuya, a pleading and forlorn look in her eyes. She remained silent until Byakuya gave in, "Speak", he commanded gruffly, reprimanding himself for the impropriety.

"The Coven has fallen." The girl murmured. "There is no point in continuing."

"Tsukishima still stands. There is reason enough for me to continue." Byakuya explained. He looked to his opponent and smiled chillingly. "Any objections?"

"None."

"Brother…" the girl pressed, moving forward as if she might touch Byakuya. "I…"

"You were meant to die quietly, Rukia." Byakuya said, his grey eyes glazing over. "You were meant to die far away from my battle. And I was meant to pretend it was alright…"

"Brother…" the girl, Rukia's, fists clenched at her sides. "This is madness. These people were your friends! You've-"

"They were not my friends!" Byakuya shouted, the veins in his neck bulging.

"Stop it!" Rukia demanded. "They didn't kill her!"

"Do not…." Byakuya hissed, his eyes nearly glowing with rage. "Don't even mention her…"

"This…" Rukia began to cry angry tears, biting down on her lip. "This is why I couldn't stand to be around you!"

"You were seduced by their abilities! I warned you!" Byakuya continued angrily, his voice increasing even more in volume. "I told you stay away, but you paid me no mind!"

"You were stifling!" Rukia shouted back. "I wasn't _seduced_ anywhere! I ran away because of you!"

"This is not the time for family squabbles." Tsukishima interrupted.

"Please, Byakuya." Rukia pleaded. "Stop this."

"I…" Byakuya inhaled a sharp breath. "Cannot."

"Rukia," Tsukishima turned to the slight vampire. "Ginjo will win. I will win. The Coven can be saved… Do not fear."

"Ginjo is dead." Rukia murmured, her large eyes open wide. "He lost his fight."

"No." Tsukishima snapped. "That's simply not possible." Tsukishima began to heave, gasping for air. He doubled over, his hair sweeping along the dust-covered ground. He coughed and gagged and suddenly began to shake.

"Rukia, leave this place." Byakuya ordered. "Or I _will_ kill you."

Rukia was nearly to the door when she was struck through the shoulder with the spiked tip of an enormous wing. She cried out, blood pouring from her wound. She looked up in horror, staked through by the claw of a hideous winged monster.

Tsukishima had transformed in a rage, looking more like a winged dragon than anything Byakuya had ever seen. The dragon let out a terrible screech, its body pressed uncomfortably against the crumbling walls. The creature moved awkwardly, tossing Rukia back and forth with the motion.

"Rukia!" Byakuya shouted, backing toward the far wall of the room. He kicked the wall roughly, quickly stepping into the next room as the creature expanded. "Fuck."

"Brother!" Rukia screamed, twisting around on the spike. Her blood-stained hands were too slippery to get a good grip and she hung uselessly by her injured shoulder. "I… I'm sorry…"

Byakuya stood in stunned silence. The seconds stretched into eternity and Byakuya still found himself frozen in place. Tsukishima had finished his transformation. He was hideous and vile and would be difficult to bring down. Rukia wasn't mortally wounded, but she was certainly in danger. Watching her writhe in agony was nearly suffocating for Byakuya. Even as the house began to collapse around the beast, Byakuya was paralyzed in place by a single debilitating thought. Could he let her die?

* * *

 _"_ _Brother…" Rukia murmured, creeping into the melancholy room._

 _Byakuya was motionless, showing no sign of having heard the teenaged girl. He sat on the foot of the bed; his head hanging, his eyes downcast. He muttered under his breath to himself, his lips fluttering open and closed. His voice increased in speed, the jumbled speech chilling the girl to the bone._

 _"_ _Brother…" Rukia repeated. She reached out slowly, her cold, pale fingertips brushing against Byakuya's shoulder. "Brother?"_

 _Byakuya turned slowly, a crazed look in his eyes as he met Rukia's gaze. He scanned her face, his features softening. He cleared his throat, licking his chapped lips. "Yes, sister?"_

 _"_ _D-downstairs, brother…" Rukia began slowly._

 _"_ _I know." Byakuya said simply, his voice visceral and hoarse._

 _"_ _Ginjo is talking…" Rukia continued, twisting her hands nervously._

 _"_ _I know." Byakuya repeated, his eyes wide and overwhelmed._

 _"_ _Brother!" Rukia exclaimed, kneeling beside Byakuya. She laid across his lap, her head resting across his knees. She sobbed into his jacket, her hands clinging to him in a needful way. "I'm scared." She looked up suddenly, her large eyes wide with fright. "Sister is gone… You are gone!"_

 _"_ _Rukia," Byakuya placed his large hand on top of her head, stroking her ebony hair. "I'm sorry…"_

 _Rukia looked at Byakuya in shock. She couldn't imagine hearing those lips utter an apology. She sank to the floor, her hands lifted up in despair. "Brother! Stop this! Please! You cannot leave me too!"_

 _"_ _You are the one who must leave." Byakuya whispered. "This is my curse. I am the one bewitched to an eternity of loss."_

 _"_ _You don't have to be alone, brother." Rukia insisted. "This burden can be shared."_

 _"_ _Your sister refused…" Byakuya spoke quietly. "She didn't wish this undead life on-"_

 _"_ _I am not Hisana!" Rukia groaned. "She is gone. I am here. I will make my own decisions. I will live my own life!"_

 _"_ _You don't know what it's like." Byakuya said suddenly, clenching his shirt with desperation. "You cannot imagine the agony inside of me…"_

 _"_ _She was my sister!" Rukia argued, shaking her head in grief. "She was my mother! My friend!"_

 _Byakuya shook his head, abruptly standing. "Then do not ask such things of me."_

 _"_ _You want me to die?" Rukia snapped, her hands trembling. "You would rather she have lived and I had died! Don't you?! You don't care! You are selfish! You are cold and unloving and…"_

 _Byakuya's hand slapped against Rukia's cheek. The sound seemed to ring in the girl's ears. She stood stunned for several moments before breaking down into shuddering sobs. Her entire, petite frame shook; warm, fat tears streaming down her round cheeks._

 _"_ _I hate you." Rukia whispered, her lips splaying wide and slow. She enunciated each word, hatred seeping into her voice._

 _"_ _Hate me, if you wish." Byakuya replied coolly, lowering his hand. "But I will not change you."_

 _"_ _Why?!" Rukia cried, wiping her eyes. "I don't understand… Hisana is dead. My parents are dead… I will die one day too… I just don't understand…" Rukia gasped for air between sobs. "Don't you love me? Did you only love her? Am I not good enough?"_

 _"_ _Everyone dies." Byakuya said, looking anywhere but at Rukia._

 _"_ _You will not die." Rukia charged, pressing a thin finger into his chest accusingly._

 _"_ _I die a little more each day." Byakuya breathed out. He looked up at the ceiling, perplexing orbs of moisture collecting in his lashes. "I've died a million times, a million different ways… And it never stops hurting. The pain is always there…"_

 _"_ _You don't have to be alone." Rukia assured him, her voice softening. "You turned Ginjo already… and if you turned me, then I could…"_

 _"_ _I will not turn you." Byakuya replied firmly. "And you will not ask anyone else to do so."_

 _"_ _You're foolish." Rukia spat. "Hisana could've been saved!"_

 _"_ _Let's not speak of Hisana." Byakuya retorted._

 _"_ _You let her die." Rukia growled. "Your love meant so little to you?"_

 _"_ _My love means everything." Byakuya hissed, his eyes darkening. "She wanted to stay human. I respected her wishes."_

 _"_ _But you won't respect mine?" Rukia argued._

 _"_ _I will give you anything within my power," Byakuya explained. "Unless it will cause harm to befall you."_

 _"_ _We've gotten off topic." Rukia said at last. "I came to warn you." She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "The Coven is whispering in dark corners…"_

 _"_ _I know." Byakuya said simply, turning away from Rukia._

 _"_ _That's all I had to say. Pardon me, brother," Rukia said with a curtsy. She walked toward the door stiffly. She paused at the doorway and looked Byakuya up and down critically. "Are you joining us for dinner tonight?"_

 _"_ _No."_

 _"_ _You will be replaced." Rukia threatened. "If your absence continues."_

 _"_ _By the Coven or by you?" Byakuya asked, looking at Rukia seriously._

 _She waited only a beat before responding, "Both."_

* * *

"Foolish girl." Byakuya groaned, his bloodied hands wrenching the claw from the beast's wing. The creature shrieked, flailing in agony. Rukia screamed, nearly slipping from Byakuya's grasp. He tightened his hold, bringing her body against his before he leapt to the ground, Rukia cradled safely in his arms. He lowered her gently, his hand smoothing over her hair. "Run."

"Brother…"

"I've had 400 years to think about this moment." Byakuya began impatiently, his hands twitching around his sword. "But now is certainly not the time, child."

"I'm sorry, truly…" Rukia cried, backing away obediently. "I was wrong."

But Byakuya was unable to respond. He was immediately on the defensive, darting around the demolished floor. He narrowly avoided the pulsating stinger attached to the creature's abdomen. He shuddered, the creature was disgusting to behold. And then he had no time to ponder it. He was suddenly jumping from one spot to the next, his speed increasing at a dizzying rate.

"Stop running." The creature growled.

"You've made me irritated." Byakuya said simply. "I have no intention of letting you maim me."

"I mean to kill you." the creature warned.

"Ah," Byakuya said, his sword slicing a wriggling appendage off. "But you won't."

"Keep talking." The creature urged. "It only excites me more."

"I've suddenly run out of things to say…" Byakuya said, his nose upturned.

"Your goodbyes?" The creature suggested. And suddenly the creature began to steam. Acid spit from its spores, melting everything it touched. Rukia, unable to escape, screamed; acid burning into the flesh of her arm. She clawed the flesh as the acid ate clean to the bone.

"Rukia!" Byakuya shouted, his face twisted in worry. "Get out of here!"

"She can't." The creature answered, his voice nearly drowned out by Rukia's pained wailing. "She has received an order from her First Vampire. Even if the manor was escapable, she couldn't leave…"

"That's unsporting." Byakuya said, a strange smile twitching up the corners of his mouth. "You're playing dirty."

"You killed Ginjo."

"I did not." Byakuya said quickly. "I've been with you."

"You know what I mean." The creature growled.

"Yes, I do." Byakuya said with a peculiar laugh.

"You are weak! You will lose-"

Byakuya let out a forceful yell, his eyes clamped shut. He held the Sword of God with both hands, slicing up the creature with great effort. His yell continued, as if it powered him. His curved blade pierced the abdomen of the beast, moving upward in an exhausting motion.

Blood and steam burst from the cut like a seam. The creature bellowed, shaking the entire manor as it quivered. But Byakuya did not hesitate, he jumped, running up the wounded body and stabbing his sword directly into the neck of the creature. He grunted in weariness, his arms shaking as he dragged the blade across the creature's throat.

Panting, covered in blood and foul acid, he dropped to the ground. There was a loud **boom!** and the entire Earth seemed to tremble. Byakuya kneeled suddenly, the exertion taking a toll on his body. He took a strange, unsatisfying breath, pursing his lips together as he collected himself.

"Brother."

"Yes?"

"Is he dead?"

"He will be soon." Byakuya replied, wiping blood from his eye. "I'll burn the body and-" Byakuya felt the force on the back of his head. He let out a surprised grunt, his body seizing up as he fell forward into the bloody rubble. He landed on his face, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. He couldn't move, he cursed silently, his entire body vulnerable to attack.

Rukia kneeled down beside Byakuya, her cold hand brushing the hair from his face. She smiled sadly, as if she truly despised her own actions. "I have no choice, he is my Master, my creator." Rukia stood, walking over the uneven ground to where Tsukishima's body lay. "I'm so sorry, brother."


	16. Such Wretched Thoughts

**_Part XVI: Such Wretched Thoughts_**

"Stupid little…" Byakuya murmured, shifting the rubble beneath him as he sat up. He rubbed his neck tenderly, his eyes downcast. He swallowed uneasily, tasting his own foul blood.

"Byakuya!" Ichigo shouted, his handsome, youthful face appearing at the top of the hole. "Byakuya!"

"I'm right here." Byakuya snapped, his hands searching the darkness for his sword. "No need to shout."

"Hey, I'm coming down to get you…" Ichigo called out, dropping from the rafters with ease.

"Don't you dare…" Byakuya began, but it was already too late. Ichigo flashed a relieved smile, his arm unconsciously reaching out to touch Byakuya's. But Byakuya could only scowl, his brows knit together with worry. "Don't look so pleased, boy. I failed."

"Me too." Ichigo admitted, his entire face burning bright scarlet. He rubbed his hands along the back of his neck, even his ears turning pink with embarrassment. "Sorry."

"You couldn't kill Ginjo?" Byakuya asked, eyeing Ichigo critically.

"Th-t-that's not fair, Byakuya," Ichigo protested loudly. "I made a mistake… If I would've buried him right away…"

"He was rescued." It was not a question.

"Yes." Ichigo nodded anxiously.

"How many vampires escaped? Do we even know?" Byakuya asked.

"Grimmjow said three." Ichigo said, his eyes meeting Byakuya's apologetically. "And he's hardly ever wrong, when it counts…"

"Ginjo, Tsukishima and…" Byakuya began slowly.

"A female, young, pale, dark hair…" Ichigo replied.

"He didn't follow. Was no one able? Did they not take me seriously when I said that no one should be allowed to escape?" Byakuya demanded, self-deprecating anger shooting through his veins.

"There… was a… com-pli-cation…" Ichigo groaned. He bowed his head in shame, sighing heavily. "They weren't alone."

"Explain."

"They were with a Master." Ichigo closed his eyes as he spoke.

"A second Master or the same?"

"The same."

Byakuya was silent for several minutes. Anxiety, disappointment, resentment, all swirled inside of him. He tried to calm himself, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took deep breaths. Just when he thought he might claw his own eyes out, there was a pleasant shift in the breeze.

The wind ruffled his hair, tickling his cheek. He looked up, the wind suctioning in and out of the hole in an unexpected way. And at the top stood Renji. He was bronzed and lively, his long, red hair whipping around in the wind like blossoms. He looked from Ichigo to Byakuya before dropping to his chest, his head and arms hanging into the hole. "Ya need a hand up?"

"No." Byakuya and Ichigo answered in unison.

"Fine, thanks…" Ichigo added, watching Byakuya out of the corner of his eyes.

"I can get out myself." Byakuya insisted.

"Yeah, of course…" Renji drawled, folding his arms under his chin. He looked down at the two of them, a foolish smile plastered on his face.

"Where is everyone?" Byakuya asked, scrambling up the pile of rubble.

Ichigo disappeared, inching along the wall and ceiling with no effort. His voice traveled from his invisible body, "Grimmjow's outside…"

Byakuya leapt upward, his hands slamming against the edge of the broken flooring. He grasped the wood, pulling himself up and level with Renji and Ichigo. He stood, his hands burning slightly, and he eyed both shifters critically. "And the other two?"

"Your castle." Renji answered.

"My castle?" Byakuya's face twisted with surprise. "Why?"

"Orihime is practically alone." Ichigo pointed out. "And now Aizen is helping your enemies."

"They wouldn't dare…" Byakuya gasped in offense.

"We don't know." Renji said simply. "That's why they took off."

"They were upset that three escaped." Ichigo continued. "Especially since you warned us beforehand."

"Burn this place down to the ground." Byakuya ordered, looking toward Ichigo. "I don't want a single brick or board left intact."

"Yes." Ichigo nodded obediently.

"Let's get outta here first…" Renji insisted, hooking his arm around Ichigo's shoulders. "I don't doubt you'd burn it down with yourself inside."

"I'm not that stupid." Ichigo argued.

"Yeah, well," Renji growled. "I know you better than you know yourself. You feel like you fucked up. When you fuck up, you get sad. When you get sad, you get oblivious. When you get oblivious, you get careless…"

"Okay, okay!" Ichigo snapped in embarrassment. "I get it. Just shut up already."

"It is my fault, Ichigo." Byakuya said suddenly. "If I had succeeded, you would have as well."

"I can't let someone else take responsibility for my own mistakes." Ichigo spoke somberly. "I take responsibility for myself."

They walked in silence until they reached outside. Grimmjow looked up, casually offering a small wave. He stood, dropping from an icy ledge, and landed beside them on the snowy ground. "Done explaining?"

"We only managed to kill the weak, innocuous vampires. The big, dangerous ones escaped and are possibly heading to my estate to exact revenge on a human child. Did I miss anything?" Byakuya growled, shrugging his shoulders in a rather impolite manner.

"Ah, yeah, did you already know that Aizen is currently with those vampires?" Grimmjow asked, arching a brow and giving his best smirk.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo hissed in warning.

"Ah, yes, I fucked up again." Byakuya muttered, walking several quick paces away from the manor. He turned around, walking backward as he spoke, "Now would be a great time to blow the fucking house up, Ichigo."

"Yeah, okay," Ichigo murmured, turning around to face the building.

"Time to go." Renji instructed, pushing Grimmjow roughly. "Time to move."

"I'm movin', quit pushin'!" Grimmjow snarled.

"Move faster…" Renji whispered, pushing Grimmjow again.

"Damn it, shitty fuckin' monkey… Should I just run?"

"Yes." Renji nodded his head.

"Not far enough…" Renji breathed, hooking his arm around Byakuya's. He dragged Byakuya backward in the snow, sprinting further away from the house.

"I imagine this distance is fine." Byakuya said, freeing himself from Renji's grasp. "I can't even see the manor!"

"Man…" Grimmjow complained. "I wanted to watch him do it."

"He's in a bad mood." Renji explained, folding his arms over his chest. "It's not a good idea to be too close."

"Ha!" Grimmjow barked. "Maybe for you, but he happens to adore me…"

Suddenly there was an ungodly screech. The sky was filled with a single, inhuman ear-piercing scream that nearly knocked the others to their knees. The shrieking ended in a thunderous **BOOM!.** The group of men staggered on their feet, as if the entire Earth had begun to sway.

Byakuya stood in stunned awe. The flames shot upward into the sky, reaching high above the towering trees. The heat was enough to warm his cold flesh even from this incredible distance. And the flames themselves, they sent a shiver down his spine. It was almost as if the fire had a voice. It spoke in a deep, wicked voice, low and intimidating, and truly evil by nature.

The three of them stood side by side, the frost melting beneath their feet. None of them spoke, too intimidated to put the experience into words. And although each man considered themselves beyond commendable, they drew closer together, their hands drifting toward one another's as the Earth continued to shake.

Finally, it ended. The treetops smoked, ash fluttering over the pure white landscape. Unconsciously, they walked toward the smoldering ruins. It was remarkable, the earth was scorched, as if God himself had smite the manor out of existence.

"Yo, Ichi…" Grimmjow whispered, his hand delicately smoothing over the other shifter's back. "You okay?"

Ichigo looked up, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. He nodded slowly, his eyes glazed over with exhaustion. "I'm fine."

"You look terrible." Grimmjow breathed, concern bubbling up from deep inside of him.

"I am terrible." Ichigo replied, his heavy lashes fluttering against his soot-covered face. And then Ichigo collapsed into Grimmjow's arms. His slender, athletic form draped over Grimmjow's muscled arm, and the other shifter lifted him against his chest.

"He's just cold." Grimmjow snapped, balancing the unconscious shifter as he undressed himself. He wrapped his stained shirt around Ichigo's body, tucking it in tightly. He looked from Byakuya to Renji with an inexplicable rage. "He's cold-blooded."

* * *

Orihime slid underneath the bed, her small hands gripping the slatted wood tightly. She pressed her head between the bars, eventually tucking inside the bedframe. She panicked, her heart beating wildly in her ears, could she move? She wriggled out and then back in, sighing heavily with relief.

"Orihime!" Petru shouted, throwing open the girl's bedroom door. "Orihime! Please! Come out!"

"Let her hide." Vasile reasoned with acceptance. "We can't do anything more for her."

"Where is m'lord?" Petru asked, wringing his hands together anxiously. "Did he fa-"

"The Master left us in charge of the castle." Vasile whispered. "We will fulfill our final duty."

"Yeah." Petru breathed, nodding his head.

The wind howled, the heavy front doors splintering. Petru jumped, a fearful shiver tingling down his spine. He lifted the gun, his hands wrapped tightly around the course metal. He approached the bed, sinking down onto the edge.

"They're here." Vasile mouthed.

"It would be a kindness…" Petru began, the firearm shaking in his hands.

"What would?" Vasile asked, eyeing Petru curiously.

"It would be quick." Petru continued.

"Hellooooooo?" a thick voice called out.

"They're inside." Vasile exhaled, his knuckles whitening from gripping his master's sword.

"M'Lord would do the same…" Petru reasoned, looking up at Vasile with wide eyes.

"What are you rambling on about?" Vasile snapped, his brows furrowed. "Get it together."

"Death over damnation." Petru said with a emphatic nod.

Orihime screamed as the gun fired, the bang reverberating in her skull. She scrambled to escape, her limbs caught in the frame of the bed. Vasile stood in stunned silence, blood spattered across his face and chest. He looked down at the hole in his abdomen and then up at Petru. He shook his head, his eyes going out of focus.

"I'm sorry…" Petru breathed, his hand pressing against Vasile's mortal wound. Vasile looked down at his master's sword, his blood streaming down the blade. He took a rattling breath and then collapsed forward, sliding down Petru's body to the floor. Petru released Vasile awkwardly, unable to hold the man's weight. "It's a kindness, Vasile."

"You idiot…" Vasile murmured, blood spreading between and over his teeth. He turned his head, his eyes meeting the girl's beneath the bed. "Run."

Orihime dropped to the floor, twisting and rolling to her feet. She bolted from the room, her bare feet pounding against the wood beneath her. Petru moved to follow the girl, but Vasile's hand clutched his arm, holding him firmly in place.

Finally, Vasile began to twitch, his body convulsing violently on the floor. His precious last moments were riddled with agony. And then he moved no more, one eye closed and the other wide open.

"Little girl?" Petru spoke, straightening up. He smiled in bewilderment, his bloodied hands reloading his weapon. "It won't hurt, I promise. I'll shoot you in the head…" Petru cooed, searching room after room for the child.

Orihime sobbed, her hands held firmly over her nose and mouth. She backed into the wardrobe, the fine dresses draping over her. She clamped her eyes shut, refusing to even think as Petru stepped into the room.

Petru overturned the bed, tossing the furniture around in his urgency. He pulled at his hair, spit collecting in the corner of his mouth. "Orihime… Come here… Please, come out…"

"You've lost your mind." Ginjo said slowly from the doorway.

"M-Master Ginjo…" Petru breathed out. He shook his head, his entire body shaking. "I won't let you have her… You won't dare to harm one of m'lord's guests!"

"I don't think you're thinking this through." Ginjo said with a laugh.

"She's in the closet." Tsukishima said, his eyes scanning the room. "What will you do now, Petru?"

"I will protect her… with my life!" Petru shouted, his face blanched and covered in sweat.

"Humans are fascinating." Ginjo said with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest. "You don't even need to kill them; they do it to themselves…"

Petru moved to the wardrobe, his hand reaching out toward the handle. He twisted and pulled, the clothes inside ruffling from the disruption. Orihime screamed, throwing her hands over her head. Petru lifted the rifle in his shaking arms and fired.

The gun misfired, the explosion burning across Petru's face. He screamed, the gun striking the ground. And Orihime ran, dodging between the adults' bodies. Petru scrambled after her, grabbing an axe from the wall. He lifted it above his head, muttering unintelligibly as he chased.

"Kill the human." Orihime stalled, looking toward the source of the voice. She stared in horror, her brown eyes wide. The man stood, tall and proud, and then he smiled, his eyes narrowed maliciously. "Do not harm the girl."

"Yes." Ginjo replied obediently, appearing beside Petru suddenly.

Petru's eyes widened, his voice trapped in the bottom of his throat. Ginjo smirked, his clawed hand thrusting through Petru's neck. He kicked Petru in the stomach, completely severing the man's head from his body. Ginjo held the head above him, drinking the droplets of blood that fell into his mouth.

"You may consume the blood, the body, anything…" Aizen explained. "I need only the soul."

"Yes, Sir." Ginjo said, nodding his head, his cheeks stained pink. He drank from Petru's shredded throat, quickly becoming intoxicated by the warm drink.

"What of the girl?" Tsukishima asked, his fingers stroking her carrot-colored hair.

"She's an experiment." Aizen said simply. "Do not harm her."

"What use do you have for such a girl?" Tsukishima asked, clearly irritated by the notion of leaving her untouched.

Aizen smiled, his eyes dark and menacing. "Worry about yourself. Become useless to me and I will terminate our contract. Do not forget; you'd be dead if I hadn't saved you…"

* * *

"Oh shit." Grimmjow breathed, his head tilted upward. He watched the plumes of smoke drift away over the tops of the trees, the ashy air burning his eyes.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked, rousing from his sleep. He pressed against Grimmjow, sliding down the other shifter and onto his own two feet. "Where are we?"

"My home." Byakuya said shortly, pushing past the others. He stalked through the forest, paying no mind to the creatures that cackled at him. He stepped into the clearing, his stomach twisting into painful knots as the castle came into view.

Shunsui stood in front of the blaze, his back to the approaching shifters. His hair whipped around him, his figure outlined by the hissing flames. He turned, his eyes meeting Byakuya's.

"Where's Samurai-san?" Grimmjow shouted, his urgency poorly masked. "And the tiny human?"

"They're fine." Byakuya answered, his eyes still locked on Shunsui's.

"What about…" Ichigo began unsurely.

"They're dead." Byakuya answered, his eyes fluttering closed.

"I'm sorry." Ichigo breathed, his hand touching Byakuya's shoulder gently.

Byakuya turned sharply, his eyes piercing into the hand that dared to comfort him. He opened his mouth, his tongue prepared to lash out, but he hesitated, and in an instant he lost the fire inside of him. Byakuya let out a breath, the wisp of steam curling around his full lips.

And then, much to the shifters' alarm, Byakuya began to laugh; his eyes creased, thin and nearly invisible; his cheeks round and dimpled. He laughed hysterically, bending at the waist. He gulped down air, drinking it in before expelling it in a fit of giggles.

"Byakuya…" Ichigo whispered, looking toward Grimmjow uncertainly.

"It's fine…" Byakuya said. He straightened up, a delirious smile still plastered on his face. "It's fine…" Byakuya began to tremble, slowly, unnoticeably at first. "It's just stuff…"

"I pulled them out." Shunsui said, approaching the group slowly. "It's pretty gruesome…"

"It's fine…." Byakuya repeated. "They were merely servants…"

"Your sword…" Shunsui began, scratching the back of his neck. "Ukitake-san has it."

"I don't want it." Byakuya refused immediately. "It was left in Vasile's possession and he died. I wish not for a loser's sword."

"Do you want us to try to put it out?" Grimmjow offered, looking up at the blaze without much hope.

"It wasn't mine to begin with." Byakuya muttered. "I inherited this castle with my wife."

"I'm sorry." Shunsui spoke gently, his grey eyes searching Byakuya's face. "We didn't make it in time."

"It's fine." Byakuya repeated, less surely, the smile slipping from his face.

"This sucks." Renji said, his fingers gravitating toward Byakuya's.

"It's fine." Byakuya repeated.

"I'm sorry this happened." Renji continued, undeterred when Byakuya moved his hand.

"Be quiet!" Byakuya snapped. He rounded on Renji, prepared to berate the shifter. But unexpectedly, Renji pulled Byakuya into his arms. He held Byakuya gently, his warm hands pressing against his lower back. "Let go!"

"You're cold." Renji said, and Byakuya didn't miss the significance.

"Let me go, you insolent, fucking-" Byakuya fumed, his claws digging sharply into Renji's flesh. Renji grit his teeth together, but remained, stoically holding Byakuya. Byakuya gulped for air, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Not yet." Renji grunted, struggling to keep Byakuya in place. Byakuya tired, physically and emotionally, and he sank down against Renji's broad, warm chest. Byakuya ignored the heavy scent of fresh blood, instead focusing on Renji's rhythmic heartbeat.

"You're bothering me." Byakuya muttered, licking his chapped lips. He closed his eyes, his head resting heavily against Renji's clavicle.

"I'm sorry." Renji said quietly. He swallowed a lump in his throat, sighing before speaking again, "The others stepped away… It's just you and me…"

"And?" Byakuya looked up from the top of his eyes.

"And… you can say and do whatever you'd like… Whatever you need…" Renji suggested.

"You expect me to cry?" Byakuya asked, a peculiar smile splaying his lips.

"No." Renji said simply. "But you can if you want."

"I came into this world with nothing." Byakuya began slowly. "And I will leave this world the same way…" Byakuya sighed, his eyes closing. "I cannot take anything with me." Byakuya breathed out shakily. "There is no point in attachments."

"It's human nature to get attached." Renji reasoned.

"I'm not human." Byakuya argued.

"You're more human than you think…" Renji retorted.

"Humanity is my weakness." Byakuya growled, his claws curling into his palms. "And I suffer for it without end…"

"I wish you could be more honest." Renji groaned. "You'd feel better."

"Don't fool yourself." Byakuya warned. "The truth is the most difficult medicine to swallow."

"I…" Renji trailed off, releasing Byakuya at last.

"You're a sweet boy." Byakuya said simply. "It'll ruin your life."

"We're not talking about me." Renji insisted.

"You should, you know," Byakuya murmured, walking toward the burning castle. "Every once in a while go and get what you want…" Byakuya paused mid-step, turning around suddenly. He eyed Renji up and down, surprise and offense etched into his handsome face. He frowned, sadness sinking into his features. "Don't ever think that again… Such wretched thoughts…"

"You shouldn't listen in on other people's thoughts…" Renji accused.

"It's not too late for you," Byakuya replied. "You don't have to suffer this way."

"It's too late." Renji called out, his hair twisting around in the wind. "I've already fallen."


	17. Venom

**_Part XVII: Venom_**

Shunsui stood back uneasily, watching how naturally Jushiro comforted Orihime. The girl was in his arms, her tears streaming down her cheeks and soaking into Jushiro's kimono. Her small body shook as she sobbed. Her fingers clutched Jushiro's clothes tightly, as if their closeness could erase every bad memory.

"He killed him…" Orihime wailed.

"Shhh…" Jushiro murmured, pressing a kiss into her hair. "You're okay now."

"He killed his friend!" Orihime cried out, her eyes wide and fearful. "There was so much blood… and… and his stomach opened… and…"

"Who?" Shunsui asked, ignoring the fiery glare in Jushiro's eye. "Who killed their friend?"

"She's been through a lot." Jushiro sighed, averting his gaze. "It's best not to ask too many questions."

"Petru killed Vasile!" Orihime cried out, turning around in Jushiro's arms to face Shunsui. "And he wanted to kill me!"

"Was Aizen here?" Shunsui pressed. "Who set the house on fire?"

"The vampires set the house on fire… but… Aizen was here too… I… I don't think they were vampires anymore…" Orihime explained, gulping for air.

"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked, kneeling beside the child.

"They had wolfstraps." Orihime said.

"Shunsui," Jushiro interrupted. "Let her rest."

"We need to know." Shunsui snapped.

"We shouldn't have left her!" Jushiro shouted, his pale skin reddening. "We made a mistake. I won't let you interrogate her now. Leave her be! What she wants to say, she will say!"

"Ukitake-san…" Shunsui began in frustration. "She's unharmed!"

"And you're lucky she is! This is your fault, Shunsui! This entire mess…" Jushiro accused, his green eyes narrowing in anger. "She doesn't deserve this."

Shunsui sighed, his shoulders shrugging in surrender. "Okay."

And with that, Shunsui turned, walking back toward the burning castle. He passed the castle, the heat prickling across his skin uncomfortably, like needles, and he approached Byakuya and Renji. Renji was subdued, but Byakuya looked so eerily calm that it gave Shunsui the shivers.

"I'm sorry about your castle." Shunsui offered, raising his hand in gesture.

Byakuya nodded wordlessly, his hair flickering around in the wind. He pushed a few strands out of his face and smiled humorlessly, "How's the child?"

"She's fine." Shunsui replied. "Shaken up."

"I can imagine." Byakuya conceded.

"Was Aizen here?" Renji asked, his hands held awkwardly at his waist.

"Came and went." Shunsui said simply.

"And Ginjo and Tsukishima?" Byakuya pressed.

"Came and went." Shunsui repeated.

"But the child is fine?" Byakuya asked, relief evident in his tone.

"I can't believe they didn't kill her." Renji murmured, smearing a bit of soot when he scratched his face.

"She said Aizen wouldn't let them." Shunsui explained, sighing heavily again. "Apparently he wants her for something later…"

"Fuck that." Renji spat, shuddering with distaste. "I fucking hate Masters. They always talk like that… They're always so creepy…"

"Can Masters reproduce?" Byakuya asked, his fingers twitching as if he wished to hold a quill and paper. "Vampires can, with humans, but not other vampires…"

"I have no idea." Shunsui admitted, sharing a disgusted look with Renji. "But I've never heard of or seen such a thing…"

"Hey, why do you ask? You don't think that's why he wants to keep the kid alive do you?" Renji realized in horror.

"It's a possibility." Byakuya replied, his eyes meeting Renji's at last.

"He'd have to get past Ukitake-san first." Shunsui muttered bitterly. "And I don't think Aizen has the balls for that."

"I think I agree with you." Renji replied.

"I feel pity for them." Byakuya said quietly, his voice almost drowned out by the hungry roar of the fire. "A Master's life must be so unbearably empty."

"Don't get soft on me now." Shunsui groaned. "You've promised to help us kill them."

"Putting the obvious aside, such as my inability to even complete this simple task," Byakuya began coolly. "It is with kindness that I will hunt them down and eliminate them. No one deserves to live forever. Not even the worst man on Earth."

* * *

"We have to move on." Jushiro said, his hands quivering from the cold. "We have to seek shelter."

"There isn't anything for miles." Grimmjow pointed out, his attention on the itchy new skin on his stomach. "We might as well stay here by the fire."

"What fire?!" Ichigo exclaimed. "The wind and snow has all but put it out."

"The castle is gone." Byakuya said simply. "There is no reason to linger here."

"But where do we go?" Shunsui asked. "There's almost no visibility. How far is the nearest village?"

"Days." Grimmjow nearly growled.

"There is something closer." Renji interjected. "The village from before…"

Byakuya's head turned in Renji's direction, but their eyes didn't meet. "They will offer us no hospitality."

"But they have shelter." Renji pressed.

"It is a difficult walk." Byakuya warned.

"I'm freezing to death out here." Ichigo wheezed, his teeth chattering. "And I'm not even human."

"We will go tomorrow." Byakuya decided, walking away from the group as he spoke. "For tonight, stay close to the fire and one another. Do not venture into the forest. The creatures there are strongest once the sun goes down. "

"I'll get more firewood." Shunsui said, pulling his clothing more tightly around himself.

"Don't bother." Byakuya said, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. "My castle should burn all night and into tomorrow."

And slowly, a sinking feeling in their stomachs, they all moved away from the dying campfire and toward the burning castle. Byakuya, immune to the cold, sat alone, perched on a bit of fallen stone. He watched the group and the trees, occasionally his icy gaze settling on Renji.

"You should rest." Renji said softly, his back warmed by the fire.

"I have no need of rest." Byakuya replied.

"Maybe not physically, but…"

"I am undead." Byakuya explained dryly.

"Not all the time." Renji said simply, pulling his bandana down to cover his eyes. He snuggled into the frozen ground, his arm a makeshift pillow.

"What does that even mean?" Byakuya demanded.

"Goodnight." Renji said loudly followed by a showy sigh.

"Good riddance." Byakuya whispered, folding his legs beneath him and crossing his arms over his chest.

* * *

"There's a huge drop off." Renji warned. "Don't fall to your death, kitty kat."

"I won't, stupid monkey." Grimmjow growled. "If anything kills me, it'll be your stench."

"Boys." Jushiro admonished, stopping in his tracks. He turned, his tired eyes scanning the two shifters irritably. "Shut up."

"Sorry, Mom." Grimmjow snickered in Aramaic.

"Coward." Ichigo said, smiling with good humor.

"Don't speak in strange tongues." Byakuya complained, tying his hair up in surrender. "It's rude."

"There isn't a single language that everyone understands." Shunsui pointed out.

"Then it's settled." Byakuya said simply. "No one may speak."

"How much further?" Jushiro asked, Orihime's hand held firmly in his.

"Not much further." Renji answered. They walked in relative silence, Orihime swinging playfully from Jushiro's strong arms. Occasionally she would glance at Byakuya and his face would darken.

"The child must stay here." Byakuya instructed, pausing at the edge of the cliff.

"We aren't leaving her behind." Shunsui snapped. "There's no way in Hell…"

"Shut up and listen to my instructions." Byakuya murmured, his eyes sparking dangerously. "The child cannot be brought to the village until it is secured. Grimmjow…" Byakuya paused, surveying the shifters critically. "You and I will head down to the village."

"Sure." Grimmjow said, cracking his knuckles loudly. "I'm game."

"And you too, Shunsui." Byakuya said, after some thought.

"Yabbe yabbe…" Shunsui complained before whispering to Jushiro. "I won't be long, Ukitake-san…"

"The easiest way off this cliff is for me to-" Byakuya began, but Grimmjow didn't pause to listen. He took several wide steps backward, before running and leaping off the unbelievably high cliff. His body was poised, as if he were in a headfirst dive into a pleasant, lazy stream. He barreled downward, his body transforming in the final moment, landing on the snow covered rocks with the elegant grace of a panther.

"He isn't good with plans." Ichigo excused Grimmjow. The youthful shifter shrugged, his hand waving in dismissal. "He does as he chooses."

"I'm not mad." Byakuya replied simply. "Only disappointed that he's not smeared across the rocks."

"Harsh." Renji breathed out.

"You," Byakuya began, eyeing Shunsui skeptically. "You don't plan on jumping too, do you?"

"Nah." Shunsui assured him, patting his belly lazily. "I like my bones where they belong."

"Don't freeze to death in the meantime." Byakuya directed, focusing his attention on Ichigo. "Once the village is secure I will return for the four of you."

And moments later Byakuya and Shunsui had transformed into bats. Byakuya fluttered around for several seconds before zooming away, Shunsui following. The bats flew with effort, the strong wind whipping their small bodies around. Eventually they reached the panther, the bats almost instantly transforming back into men.

"You could have killed yourself." Byakuya admonished. "At least temporarily. Don't cause me trouble."

"I got down." The panther growled.

"My way would have been easier." Byakuya professed.

"That was a cool trick." Grimmjow said, morphing back into his grinning human form. "But I think I'll pass."

"That was weird." Shunsui said, nearly doubled over with an unexpected wave of nausea. "Don't do that again... please…"

"Such babies." Byakuya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I should have brought Ukitake-san and the human girl. They would complain less."

"Why did ya pick us anyway?" Grimmjow asked, adjusting the waistband of his pants rather immodestly. "I'm not exactly dip-lo-matic…"

"I'm not looking for diplomacy." Byakuya said, his teeth jutting from his mouth aggressively. "I chose you for your strong stomachs."

Grimmjow and Shunsui didn't need to ask.

Byakuya was over the rocky ground and at the door of the first house within seconds. He ripped the door off the hinge, startling the family inside awake. The husband shouted, rousing abruptly, his wife screamed, the dog barking madly. And then the shouting turned into agonized wailing, the wife's scream died in her throat, and the dog whimpered, abandoning the house and heading for safety.

"Oh fuck." Shunsui said, covering his mouth with his hand in dismayed shock.

Grimmjow whistled lowly, his smile tightening on his handsome face. Several of the small homes woke at once, men pouring outside with their weapons brandished. Grimmjow slapped Shunsui across the back, his fingertips twisting into claws. "I'm not sure if I'm insulted he chose me for this or honored."

"Ukitake-san will hear." Shunsui whispered, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "If we don't hurry and stop that screaming…" But the screaming continued for several more gruesome minutes until finally Byakuya twisted the last plea from the last throat.

"That's the last." Shunsui said, replacing his sword in his sheath.

"This place is a fucking mess." Grimmjow realized, looking from one bloody doorstep to the next.

"Clean it." Byakuya ordered, the veins pulsing throughout his face. He looked up, his eyes dark and his fanged mouth stained with blood. He looked dazed, like an animal, his entire body rigid like death. "Clean it up."

"Fuck…" Grimmjow muttered distastefully. "I ain't a fucking maid."

"Clean it up." Byakuya repeated his low voice so menacing it made Grimmjow's stomach flutter uncomfortably.

"There's a water trough." Shunsui pointed out, stepping over several corpses.

"Shunsui," Byakuya said firmly, turning his attention to the other shifter. His teeth seemed to have multiplied, almost as if they couldn't all fit in his mouth. He breathed heavily, blue veins throbbing beneath his translucent skin. "Move the bodies."

"The fuck does he think he-"

"Grimmjow," Shunsui warned, twisting Grimmjow's arm. "Shut up."

"But…"

"Do as he says."

And when Byakuya turned around, staring hungrily at the both of them, Grimmjow found it impossible to protest further. They worked in silence, Shunsui dragging the bodies one by one into a mass grave, Grimmjow sloshing filthy and freezing water over all the bloodied surfaces. The earth of the village swirled with blood and mud and ice.

And all the while, Byakuya crouched, watching them. His features were inhuman. He resembled a demon, his bloodstained mouth quivering with inaction, his dark eyes unblinking. A strange hiss escaped his lips, curling into a growl whenever he would catch their glances. But the most unnerving was the thick, blue blood vessels that seemed to squirm under his skin, like a maggot infestation in rotted flesh.

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Grimmjow whispered, dousing the floor of one of the houses.

"He's a monster." Shunsui said, huffing loudly as he lifted a rather portly corpse over his shoulder.

"To be honest," Grimmjow murmured, wiping sweat from his brow. "I'm a little nervous."

"It would be best," Shunsui began, adjusting the weight of the corpse. "If this incident stays between the two of us."

"You mean you don't want Samurai-san to know." Grimmjow taunted.

"Do you want Ichigo to know?" Shunsui pressed.

"No." Grimmjow agreed instantly. "This stays between the two of us."

"I'm sure he'll be back to normal soon." Shunsui reasoned. "Until then, stay the fuck away from him."

"Don't need to tell me that." Grimmjow groaned. "I ain't scared, but I ain't rushing to get closer to that thing, if you understand me…"

"Perfectly." Shunsui breathed out. "Just thinking about it is giving me the heebie jeebies. It can probably hear us in here too."

"Did you have to say that?" Grimmjow complained, shuddering.

"I wonder how long it'll last…" Shunsui mused.

"I don't know. But get the fuck outta here with that thing!" Grimmjow scolded. "That fat ass is dripping blood all over my clean floor."

"You'll come save me if it attacks, right?" Shunsui questioned, half-serious.

"Hell nah." Grimmjow said, a laugh escaping his lips. "I'll use you as my cover to escape."

"Figures." Shunsui muttered.

"Learn it quick and learn it well…" Grimmjow insisted. "I don't have friends, I have connections."

"You have friends." Shunsui said, crouching to pass through the narrow doorway. "Whether you accept us or not."

"Don't get eaten, lil' cub." Grimmjow called after him, standing up slowly. "Your humans are dead without you."

* * *

"Blood." Renji said, sniffing the air.

Ichigo looked up, his hands held out to the fire. "I smell it too."

"What's wrong?" Jushiro asked, looking from one shifter to the other in concern. "What are you saying? You look upset."

"There's… an odd scent." Renji explained carefully.

But there was no use trying to withhold information from Jushiro, because moments later the wind carried the scent over and through their camp. Without a doubt, the warrior recognized the scent of death. "Blood," Jushiro said in realization.

"It's not theirs." Ichigo said matter-of-factly. "If that helps any."

"They might need our help." Jushiro said, his fingers twitching against his swords.

"Byakuya told us to wait here." Ichigo reminded him patiently. "We should just stay put."

"They're strong." Renji added. "Humans couldn't stand a chance against one of them by themselves."

"Humans will surprise you." Jushiro said, recalling the Quincys with revulsion.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Orihime asked, pressing her frozen fingertips against Jushiro's face.

"You're freezing." Jushiro realized, wrapping his arms tightly around the young girl. "Come here."

"I'm okay," Orihime resisted. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know." Jushiro answered, pulling the girl into his kimono and against the warmth of his chest. "Most likely, nothing is wrong."

"Papa is safe?" Orihime questioned, looking up at Jushiro with round, innocent eyes.

"Yes." Jushiro said, nodding his head slowly. "We're all safe."

"And they'll be back for us soon?"

"Yes, Orihime-chan," Jushiro cooed soothingly, brushing her hair from her eyes. "You'll get to sleep in a bed very soon."

The wind picked up, the howling filling the valley. Renji and Ichigo shared a look, the lingering apprehension hitting them at the same time. It was not the wind making that haunting wail. It was not the wind that sent chills down their spine. And it was not the wind that was screaming.

* * *

"Byakuya?" Shunsui murmured quietly, his hand stroking the vampire's smooth, icy cheek.

Byakuya opened one eye, unable to focus on Shunsui or his surroundings. He groaned, a strange heaviness in his body. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?" It was a strange question in Byakuya's opinion. Why shouldn't he be alright? Why was his body heavy? Why did he feel so exhausted? What was the strange paralysis that seemed to affect his limbs?

"I can't move." Byakuya admitted, opening his other eye.

"I'm sorry." Shunsui said somberly. "I had no other choice."

Byakuya came to quickly. He was flat on the ground, Shunsui standing above him. He tried to sit up but was unable. He struggled against his invisible restraints, his body pinned to the muddy ground. "What is going on?"

"You weren't yourself." Shunsui explained slowly.

"Release me." Byakuya demanded, his hands curling into fists.

"I will." Shunsui promised. "I had to make sure you were you first."

"What?!" Byakuya growled, his cheeks stained pink with anger.

"You killed a lot of people." Grimmjow said, standing just out of Byakuya's view. "I wouldn't care, but you got a little weird… Kept growling at us. Nearly bit my head off…"

"I…" Byakuya swallowed, realization sinking in. "I understand. Let me go now."

And without hesitation, Shunsui released his shadowy hold on Byakuya. Byakuya watched the dark shadowy limbs return, a look of horror and fascination on his face. He climbed to his feet, brushing himself off uselessly. His clothes were shredded beyond repair, crusted with dried blood.

"The others…"

"The others are still at the top of the cliff." Shunsui answered the open ended question.

"Is there… Is there a place to sleep?" Byakuya said, looking around the village in desperation.

"We cleaned it up. The whole place is nearly spotless… and empty…" Grimmjow said, leaving out his complaint about his unwillingness to do so. "As long as you're feeling less psycho, you can go get 'em now."

"I may have lost control for a moment." Byakuya explained apologetically. "I normally abstain from lethal feedings. I suppose that…"

"Bloodlust." Grimmjow said simply. "We get it."

"How much time has passed?" Byakuya asked, trying to comb through his tangled, clotted hair.

"About four or five hours." Shunsui estimated.

"Hurry up." Grimmjow barked. He looked annoyed rather than hurt, but Byakuya could sense the healing wound at Grimmjow's clavicle. "Two humans and two pathetic cold-blooded shifters…" Grimmjow touched the spot where Byakuya's fangs had pierced him absently. "They'll freeze before you make it back."

Byakuya stumbled a few steps before halting. "Five years is a long time." Byakuya said, folding his arms over his chest. "Can you afford to wait so long?"

"You're not evil." Shunsui said, his eyes set on something in the distance.

"But I am." Byakuya pressed. "I cannot control myself or my nature forever."

"We had a deal." Shunsui replied.

"Our deal can't protect the humans." Byakuya said.

"Then we make a new deal." Shunsui answered gruffly. "Five years or to save a life, whichever comes first."

"The others…" Grimmjow interjected uneasily.

"You shouldn't be in such a rush to die." Shunsui challenged.

"I died a long time ago." Byakuya replied coolly. "But my venom is still as deadly."


	18. Fairy Tales

**_Part XVIII: Fairy Tales_**

"Can't you do something about those dogs?" Jushiro asked, guiding Orihime through the village by her shoulders. He watched the pack of dogs skirting around the group of shifters. "I worry about them being around her."

"What do you want me to do with the dogs?" Shunsui asked, rolling his head and popping his neck. "Kill them?"

"Don't you dare!" Byakuya snapped, his eyes widening with displeasure. "They will not harm us."

"Ukitake-san was worried about it," Shunsui explained. "I really don't care."

"Those dogs are pets." Byakuya replied. "They're more likely to sleep between our feet than bite us."

"It's kinder to put them down." Grimmjow reasoned. "They're domesticated. They can't survive out here without owners."

"You put too little value in the lives of animals." Byakuya accused, pushing open the door to one of the houses.

"Cause they're weak and unintelligent." Grimmjow said, shrugging.

"The strongest part of you is an animal." Byakuya pointed out. "Isn't that what makes you special?"

"Touché." Grimmjow said with a curt nod.

"So the dogs are staying?" Ichigo asked, kneeling down and gesturing one of the dogs closer. He pulled a strip of jerky from his jacket, smiling as the dog's ears perked up excitedly. In a few moments, Ichigo was completely surrounded by dogs, their hungry eyes turned upward pleadingly.

"I didn't know you liked dogs." Renji mused, scratching a scraggy dog behind its ear.

"Eh," Ichigo shrugged, staring into a pair of big, brown eyes. "I've never had one or anything…"

"I figured you as one to prefer cats." Shunsui drawled quietly, smiling as a blush crept across Ichigo's cheeks. "At least that was the impression I had…"

"Be quiet." Ichigo insisted between gritted teeth.

"He loves cats." Grimmjow assured Shunsui, his eyes wide with gesture. "Fucking loves 'em."

"We won't be staying long." Byakuya said before walking inside the small home. "This is a good place for the child to sleep. There are toys and clothes her size."

"Oh, look!" Jushiro drawled, pointing to a carved wooden doll.

Orihime grabbed the doll, cradling it against her chest. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, her finger smearing a spatter of blood across the doll's cheek. She hid the blood smear from Jushiro, holding the doll behind her back. She forced a smile, looking from Byakuya to Shunsui guiltily.

"Like I said, we won't be staying long. Rest for today. Tomorrow, we will gather supplies. We will all need more suitable attire, for one." Byakuya instructed. "I will stay in the home next door. You may pair up as you wish, but it's best if we all stay in the same area…"

"What about a watch?" Shunsui asked, taking the doll from Orihime stealthily. He wiped the doll's face before handing it back to the expectant child. "Should one of us stay up and…"

"There's no need." Byakuya replied. "There is no one around."

"But-"

"Trust in my abilities, if not me." Byakuya replied, giving a curt nod.

And Byakuya exited the small house, his boots crunching over the hard packed snow. He pushed open the front door of the next home, surprised as one of the dogs followed him inside. He let out a heavy sigh, sinking onto the edge of the stiff, unyielding bed.

The dog circled quickly before laying in front of the empty hearth. It let out an equally heavy sigh, its sad eyes meeting Byakuya's accusingly. "What?"

The dog watched Byakuya motionlessly.

"Are you cold?" Byakuya asked, leaning forward. "Would you like me to start a fire?"

The dog's ears perked and it lifted its head curiously, watching Byakuya move around the cabin. "Or do you miss your owners?" Byakuya threw a few logs into the hearth. "You don't seem to hold a grudge against me."

"I wonder if the others would let me eat you." Byakuya pondered aloud, striking the match and lighting the wood. He smiled softly, his hand resting on the dog's head. "They are rather spoiled."

"Knock, knock."

Byakuya looked up at Renji in surprise, his steely grey eyes wide. He looked guilty, as if he had been caught doing something, "Hel-lo."

"You're gonna get fleas." Renji said, sitting down on the bed, almost exactly where Byakuya had been perched.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Byakuya replied, pushing against his knees into a standing position.

"The bed's a little small." Renji realized, looking around the cramped space.

"I'll fit." Byakuya said, his neck twisting at an irritated angle, as if in challenge.

"I'm a big guy." Renji said, an impish smile crossing his face.

"You're next door." Byakuya said, waving his hand deftly. "And take the dog with you."

"But," Renji whispered, closing the space between the two men. "I don't wanna go next door."

"Are you stupid or just a masochist?" Byakuya growled, his hooded eyes narrowing.

"A little bit of both." Renji hummed, his hands wrapping around Byakuya's thin wrists.

"I'm not hungry." Byakuya replied, twisting his arms in Renji's grasp. "There's no need for you to stay."

"Agh…" Renji groaned, closing his eyes impatiently. "You really are a pain."

"I don't want to play house." Byakuya insisted. "I don't need your blood. I don't currently desire your body…"

Renji released his hold on Byakuya, nodding dejectedly. With a sigh he backed up, crashing backward onto the bed. The small bed groaned under his weight. He cleared his throat, his fingers combing through his long, red hair.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya whispered, eyeing Renji with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

"I'm getting some rest." Renji breathed out, his head settling into the bed.

Byakuya closed his eyes, his lips moving soundlessly as if in prayer. He sat down on the wobbly chair in the corner of the room. He crossed his legs, his arms folded in his lap. He licked his lips, his eyes roaming over Renji's vulnerable form. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Renji mumbled, his sharp eyes meeting Byakuya's.

Byakuya sat in the chair silently, watching Renji slowly fall asleep. Renji's body jerked, his thick lashes fluttering against his cheeks. He snored quietly, his shoulders digging into the thin, hard mattress. Renji slept peacefully, his mouth open ever-so-slightly, his cheeks round and youthful while pressed against the pillow.

"What a mess, dog." Byakuya exclaimed, his head dropping between his legs. His hair fell down, the tips brushing the floor. He placed his hand on the dog's slender hind leg, patting gently. The dog reached around quickly, as if it might bite, but then, unexpectedly, the dog licked his hand sweetly. "Not you too, dog…"

"It's not fair." Byakuya thought aloud. "It's not as if I have no heart…"

And as suddenly as the emotional outburst began, it ended. Byakuya sat up, wiping his moist hand on the leg of his pants. He stood, crossing the floor of the cabin within a few paces. He paused at the door, his hand brushing against the crude knob. He intended to turn it, walk out and find a different bed to sleep in. He urged himself to do so. But something inexplicable and strong held him back. And before he could reconsider, he had slid into the bed, snuggled against Renji's side. And even though he thought it impossible, he fell asleep in that insufferably uncomfortable position, his hand draped across Renji's swelling chest.

* * *

"We'll be walking a while."

Grimmjow groaned loudly, his head rolling back. He looked up at the clear, blue sky and cursed. "Of course…"

"You don't have to come with us." Ichigo offered. "No one asked you to."

"Tch." Grimmjow's eyes narrowed. "You'd be fucked without me around."

Shunsui swallowed the snide reply he had and cleared his throat. "Grimmjow, you've helped us more than I can every thank you for…"

"But?" Grimmjow urged.

"But if you don't stop complaining, I'm going to rip your eyelashes out… one by one…" Shunsui threatened, eyeing Grimmjow irritably.

"We're all tired of walking." Renji groaned, adjusting the pack on his back.

"Let's all just stop talking." Jushiro suggested, picking at a blister on the palm of his hand. "We're tired. We're irritated…"

"Let's take a short break." Byakuya said, immediately followed by the relieved gasps of the rest of the group.

"You're something else." Ichigo said, dropping his pack onto the ground in exhaustion. "We've been walking nonstop for a week… and you… You're fine."

"I'm undead." Byakuya pointed out, pulling his cloak over his pale skin.

"We need to do something about our morale." Byakuya said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're all miserable and it's unbearable being around the whole lot of you."

Orihime climbed down from Byakuya's shoulders, his strong arm lowering her to her feet gently. She looked up at him silently, a brief smile ghosting across his handsome face. She smiled back, a little unsurely, before giving her best curtsy. "Thanks for the lift."

"She said thank you." Shunsui translated.

"It was no trouble." Byakuya replied.

"He's super cold though…" Orihime whispered. "Now my butts cold too!"

"I'm not telling him that." Shunsui said, stroking the girl's hair affectionately.

"We're going to need to bathe soon." Jushiro realized, sniffing the air in disgust. "Very soon."

"And freeze to death?" Ichigo asked, his eyes wide. "No thanks."

"Yeah, I like my di-" Grimmjow began, his words cut off as Jushiro placed his hand over his mouth.

"The young lady doesn't need to hear such foul language." Jushiro admonished.

"I can't take this shit anymore." Grimmjow proclaimed, tossing his hands into the air in defeat. "Fuck!"

"Where are you going?" Byakuya called out, watching Grimmjow stalking off through the snow.

"I'm leaving!" Grimmjow snapped. "I've had a very rough go of it recently… and I don't appreciate…" Grimmjow trailed off, crossing his arms over his chest. "God, I'm fucking whining, aren't I?"

"Yes." Byakuya said simply.

"I'll be back." Grimmjow said, nodding his head in self-reflection. "Don't wait for me."

"Where are you going?" Ichigo demanded.

"I said, I'll be back!" Grimmjow barked. "Fuck! Mind your own damn business…"

"That fucking bitch…" Ichigo hissed under his breath, his hands curled into fists at his side. "I'm gonna kick his ass the next time I see him."

"Eh," Renji vocalized lazily. "He's always like that. No great loss."

"That's not true." Ichigo insisted. "He may be an asshole, but he's strong…"

"Where's Grimmjow going?" Orihime asked, looking up at Jushiro in concern.

"For a walk." Jushiro answered.

"Because you made him mad?" Orihime questioned.

"I don't know." Jushiro sighed. "If so, he could say something to my face like a man…"

"Alright! Enough!" Shunsui barked, raising his hands in a halting gesture. "Perhaps we all need some alone time…"

"I suggested that no one should speak." Byakuya pointed out. "I believe that people assumed I was being rude. I was being sincere."

"I can smell water." Shunsui said, rolling his eyes at Byakuya. "I'm going to find it, wash up a bit. I think that'll improve my mood."

"It's snowing…" Ichigo said, narrowing his eyes at Shunsui in disbelief.

"I'll never understand you Europeans and your lack of basic hygiene…" Shunsui muttered.

"We're coming with you." Jushiro said, snapping his fingers at Orihime pointedly. "Come on, let's take a bath."

"But it's f-ree-zing!" Orihime drawled.

"You smell." Jushiro said matter-of-factly. "Like an old onion."

"You mean, mountain troll!"

"They're gonna get hypothermia." Renji said, scratching his neck as he spoke.

"Good." Ichigo mumbled. "We can go home when they die."

"Did you make a deal with Shunsui?" Byakuya asked.

Ichigo sighed, shaking his head back and forth. "No." Byakuya waited patiently for Ichigo to elucidate. "At first I just thought they were hopeless. And I can't help but feel sorry for a shifter under contract. But then, the more I'm around them, I get pulled into his pace…"

"Whose?"

"Shunsui's." Ichigo replied. "He started talking about hunting the Masters down and killing them. And suddenly I believed him…"

"How surprisingly optimistic." Byakuya mused, a smile twitching his lips upward.

"I know." Ichigo groaned, covering his head with his hands. "I'm too old to believe in fairy tales."

"What nonsense." Byakuya chortled, tossing his long, black hair out of his face. "You are a fairy tale."

* * *

"Who the hell are you?" Coyote asked, eyeing Ginjo derisively.

"That hurts." Ginjo drawled.

"Good." Coyote replied, his head held to the side awkwardly. "What do you want?"

"Our Master wants to see you." Ginjo explained.

"Fantastic." Coyote groaned, forcing a tight smile. "Why doesn't he tell me himself?"

"He's a busy man." Ginjo said with a shrug.

"You said 'our Master'…" Coyote realized, grimacing. "You don't mean that…"

"We signed a contract." Ginjo confirmed.

"Well that was stupid." Coyote said with a laugh. "Why'd you do that?"

"Death is a helluva motivator." Ginjo sighed.

"So, why did the Master send you to get me?" Coyote asked.

"He's a busy man." Ginjo repeated.

"Why does that make me feel so fucking nervous?" Coyote complained.

"Why did you separate from your friends?" Ginjo questioned.

"That's none of your business." Coyote snapped.

"Ah, come on," Ginjo drawled. "We're brothers-in-arms."

"I don't have a brother." Coyote said briskly, walking around Ginjo and away.

"He's at the end of the town." Ginjo called out. "He's waiting for you."

Coyote groaned loudly and exaggeratedly. He huffed and puffed, his boots kicking gravel in every direction as he walked, pouting, toward the small town ahead. "Master's sure got a type, hasn't he?"

Coyote walked into the abandoned building, taking the steps slowly. He paused outside the closed door, his knuckles rasping against the door reluctantly. The door opened and Coyote stepped inside. "You sent for me, Master…"

But when Coyote saw Aizen he nearly cried out in surprise. Aizen was slumped over in his chair, his hair disheveled. His face seemed melted, or perhaps stretched. He looked weak and vulnerable and Coyote had to swallow the laugh that almost escaped his lips.

"Coyote," Aizen said slowly, straightening up in the chair.

"Yes?" Coyote looked into Aizen's eyes, surprised to see one brown eye and one dark blue. Coyote reached up, a gasp ripping past his throat. He touched his face, feeling his eye in bewilderment. He turned, looking for a mirror in desperation. "What's going on?"

"We've been apart for too long." Aizen claimed, pushing himself into a standing position. "Our level of intimacy requires more maintenance than with others… That's why you shouldn't try to run from me, Coyote…"

Coyote looked into the mirror, relieved to see his foreign brown eye begin to return to his true blue. He groaned, rubbing his face anxiously. "Master…"

"It's because I had to save you." Aizen complained, his face taut and handsome once more. "Your body can't handle my power and your soul can't handle my… personality…" Aizen clicked his tongue, his hands trailing over Coyote's shoulder. "You're weak."

"It's my body." Coyote breathed out, shivering under Aizen's teasing touch. "Stay out of it."

"Mind your manners." Aizen whispered, his hand wrapping around one of Coyote's fingers. "Remember, I did you a favor…"

"Thank you…" Coyote breathed out quickly, remembering Grimmjow with shame. "I'm grateful."

"Then show me." Aizen said softly, his lips pressing against the nape of Coyote's neck.

"Yes, Master…"

* * *

"Ah, Sirs," the barkeep said loudly, welcoming the group into his tavern happily. "Welcome! Welcome!"

"They're friendly." Shunsui said, shrugging with pleasant surprise.

"It means this place is a shithole." Ichigo interjected. "Probably lots of crime."

"Mysterious murders… maidens sacrificed…" Renji added.

"This place smells." Jushiro said, smiling tightly at the barkeep.

"I'm hungry." Orihime grumbled.

"Hello." Byakuya said, stepping around the others and toward the counter. "We would like five ales and some fresh milk."

"Goat or cow?" the barkeep asked.

"Goat." Byakuya answered, hoisting Orihime into one of the tall chairs at the bar.

"No women, eh?" the barkeep said, conversing as he busied himself with the order. "We've got a place down the road… It's real clean and the women are beautiful…"

"Delightful." Byakuya replied, forcing a wide, tight smile.

"Actually," Shunsui spoke up, pushing up to the counter. "We were wondering if you might have a map?"

"A map?" the barkeep repeated. "Sure do."

"Excellent." Shunsui said with relief. "We seek room and board for a night, with a map we can be on our way in the morning…"

"Where're ya from? What brings ya together?" the barkeep questioned. "You've got a Chinaman and a wild native…" the barkeep chuckled. "An Italian girl and a Romanian…"

Shunsui paused unsurely, but Byakuya replied instantly and with all seriousness, "We're a travelling circus."

"A circus?" the barkeep repeated, a smile spreading unsurely across his face.

"Yep. We're a circus." Ichigo confirmed, nodding his head slowly.

"Why would you say that?" Shunsui muttered, nudging Byakuya in the side. "Where is the rest of the circus?"

"We lost our caravan this winter." Byakuya continued, ignoring Shunsui completely. "The oxen died. Our wagons and supplies had to be abandoned. Now we're hopelessly lost…"

"Oh, my!" the barkeep exclaimed. "How terrible!"

"We have money, but no goods." Byakuya continued. "We are in dire need."

"Then you've come to the right place!" The barkeep announced, handing Byakuya a pitcher of ale. "Drink up! Get comfortable. I'll arrange your rooms."

"What are you doing?" Shunsui demanded. "You never tell people you have money. You just put a huge target on our backs…"

"Isn't that the point of our little journey?" Byakuya asked, watching Shunsui out of the corners of his eyes. "I thought it was time for Byakuya the Brave Hero to shine…"

"You're too much." Shunsui protested weakly.

Byakuya smiled, his eyes creased handsomely, "I'm only here to help."

"He's right though," Ichigo agreed, nodding his head thoughtfully. "Something's not right about this place. We might as well bring it forward as soon as possible."

"What's going on?" Jushiro demanded, his fingers tapping against his lip in irritation. "I don't even know what language you're speaking in…"

"Keep your eyes open, Ukitake-san," Renji replied. "This place gives us the creeps."


	19. Pipe Smoke

**_Part XIX: Pipe Smoke_**

"Everyone seems nice." Renji noted, soaking the last bit of stew into his chunk of bread. He stuffed the soggy bread into his mouth, chewing noisily. "Doesn't seem like a particularly interesting place either."

"I have to agree." Ichigo sighed, his finger tracing a patch of freckles on his shoulder.

"You sound disappointed," Shunsui criticized.

"Well, this whole place seemed so creepy when we got here." Ichigo explained. "But actually everyone is really nice. The people get along with each other and are hospitable… There's nothing for us to do here."

"Or so it seems." Byakuya mused.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, watching Byakuya from where he sat at the window. "Do you see something?"

"It's just a feeling." Byakuya said, clearing his throat. His head rest against the windowpane, his lashes beating against his cheeks. "Every town has secrets. Humans are flawed by design."

"Yeah, but these people are so boring." Renji complained.

"Someone is fucking someone else's wife." Byakuya said suddenly, his eyes sharp. "Someone is faking a pregnancy. Someone finished off their father-in-law. Someone is touching their daughter, their son, their sister…" Byakuya trailed his finger along the outside of the window. "You get the point. Humans are weak against their vices."

"I feel like he's trying to tell us something and we are just too stupid to understand." Shunsui muttered, throwing his arm over Renji's shoulder.

"Probably." Renji agreed.

"Definitely." Ichigo groaned.

"Like I said, it's just a feeling." Byakuya said, unable to stifle the smile that spread across his face.

* * *

"So many men!" the maid nagged. "You need to find yourself some good women! A child needs a mother!"

"What's that fat lady saying about Orihime?" Jushiro asked, eyeing the portly woman with contempt.

"Don't worry about it." Shunsui replied. "She's trying to be friendly."

"And look," the maid proclaimed, pinching the roundest part of Ichigo's cheeks. "This one is hardly off the tit himself!"

Ichigo's eyes widened in mortification, his face turning scarlet in an instant. "I'm an adult, ma'am."

"I have three nieces…" the maid continued. "There's one who's pretty enough for you. She'll be thirteen in spring."

"Thirteen…" Renji cooed, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Shut up." Ichigo fumed, knocking his elbow into Renji's belly roughly. Ichigo sighed, smiling politely at the older woman. "She sounds lovely, but thirteen is a bit young for me still."

"Ah, but the women bear children young in my family." The maid said proudly.

"How delightful." Byakuya said, clasping his hands together. "I don't mean to interrupt your matchmaking, but can you tell me what a gentleman does for entertainment around here?"

"Ah, well, yeah…" the maid replied, nodding her head. "Except for Sundays at the church, the men generally enjoy themselves at the bagnio."

"The bagnio?" Byakuya asked, arching a brow. "And that's socially acceptable?"

"Why, yes, Sir," the maid assured him.

"What's a bagnio?" Ichigo whispered to Renji.

Renji shrugged, looking toward Shunsui curiously, "What's a bagnio?"

"Uh, well, it's a…" Shunsui bit down on his lip thoughtfully.

"It's a whorehouse." Byakuya said, grinning widely before turning back to address the maid. "Thank you for the information."

"It's just right down the road." The maid continued. "Impossible to miss."

"I forgot that the barkeep mentioned the same thing." Ichigo said in Aramaic, scratching his forearms absently, his cheeks slowly returning to their normal color. "If there's something suspicious going on, I'll bet it's there…"

Byakuya eyed Ichigo distrustfully, his lips moving as he tried to process the words Ichigo had spoken. Failing completely, Byakuya tossed his hands into the air, shaking his head in agitation, "What are you saying?"

"Later." Ichigo said dismissively.

Jushiro looked at Byakuya and, in heavily accented English, he spoke, "It gets really old, doesn't it?"

"It's _rude_." And the way Byakuya enunciated the word nearly brought the shifters to tears laughing. Byakuya snorted, a puff of angry air escaping his nose. "I want to slap them all."

"You may hit Kyoraku-san, you have my permission." Jushiro said, pursing his lips.

"The maid's gone." Ichigo whispered, speaking quickly. "The brothel is worth investigating. I think if there is something here, it'll be there…"

"Will they even let you in a brothel?" Byakuya asked, fighting the urge to pinch the tips of Ichigo's ears.

"W-w-wha…" Ichigo stammered.

"I'm only teasing…" Byakuya explained, waving his hand in gesture. "But in all seriousness, who should we send to investigate?"

"I don't mind go…ing…" Shunsui trailed off, feeling the weight of Jushiro's angry stare. "Never mind. I do mind."

"You sure do." Jushiro said, his teeth clenched.

"Well, it's not like we have to fuck anyone…" Ichigo said, shrugging. "What's the big deal?"

"You're going to go to a brothel and just talk?" Byakuya mused, a smile tugging on his lips. "How sweet."

"Hey!" Ichigo began to protest.

"Or perhaps, you'll walk right in and announce your suspicions." Byakuya continued. "You'll be eaten alive, and I don't mean by monsters…"

"Don't make fun of me!" Ichigo barked. "I'm older than you, ya know!"

"The difference between you and I," Byakuya spoke lowly. "Is that you lived a privileged life until suddenly you didn't. I never had goodnight kisses from Mam and Da."

"So you are making fun of me…" Ichigo drawled, his face darkening.

"No." Byakuya said simply. "I'm just pointing out how naïve you are. Your age doesn't matter. Deep down you're sickeningly optimistic and trusting. That's a problem because the world is ugly and cruel."

"I know that." Ichigo said, folding his arms over his chest defensively. "I'm not immune to pain, ya know."

"You misunderstand me." Byakuya claimed softly. "I don't mean any of this as an insult. It just means you have a long life ahead of you."

"Come on." Renji interrupted. "Let's stop fighting."

"Who's fucked a woman? Let's start there." Byakuya said, changing the subject in an instant. The group went silent. Byakuya looked up in surprise, looking from shifter to shifter.

"I've done lots of schmoozing." Shunsui offered. "I am pretty charming…"

"None of you?" Byakuya pressed.

"I was 16 when I made my contract…" Ichigo defended himself in embarrassment. "And then I was busy for the next 100 years… And well…"

"He was busy for the next thousand years too." Renji added teasingly. "But he's fully prepared for the next century…"

"Oh, yeah? What about you, you smelly monkey?" Ichigo demanded, knocking his fist against Renji's chest. "How many women have you been with?"

"I'm not smelly. It's called pheromones!" Renji argued back, his face pulled tight.

"Yeah, well your _phero-mones_ smell like tiger piss…" Ichigo accused.

"Well, I've still never fucked Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, so there's that!" Renji snapped.

A stream of unintelligible curses flew from Ichigo's mouth as he launched himself at Renji. He raised his hands, his fingers brushing against Renji's throat. "You fight like brothers." Shunsui sighed, pushing between the charging shifters. "Will you both calm down? You're drawing attention to us."

"I'm going on ahead." Byakuya called out, giving a lazy wave. "If I'm not back in three days then I haven't run out of money yet."

"What? Where's he going?" Renji said, his head perking up at attention.

"I would assume to the whorehouse." Shunsui said, letting go of Ichigo as the smaller shifter surrendered.

"Wait! Wait up! I'm coming with you…" Renji called out, chasing after Byakuya.

"Those jerks." Ichigo groaned, rubbing his wrist tenderly. "They deserve each other."

"Be glad he didn't pick you." Shunsui whispered. "He doesn't think much of human life."

Ichigo sobered up quickly, watching Shunsui from the corner of his eye. Byakuya had chosen Shunsui and Grimmjow to _clear out_ the village. He wasn't surprised by the selection, and he probably would have come to the same conclusion. But Ichigo still felt pity for the other shifters. It was never easy to destroy a living soul.

"I'm not disappointed that I'm not going," Ichigo said, standing up in two fluid motions. "I just hate being useless."

"How are you useless?" Shunsui asked doubtfully.

"I wanna save everyone." Ichigo explained. "And not everyone wants to be saved."

* * *

"Welcome." A beautiful woman said, widening her arms in a friendly gesture. "Please come in… Follow me…"

"Where are the women?" Byakuya asked, looking around the fine house curiously.

"Come this way…" the woman insisted, beckoning with a single finger. She moved slowly, as if floating, her see-through purple negligée clinging to her handsome curves. "The women like to be comfortable."

Byakuya and Renji followed the woman silently. She led them into a smoke-filled parlor. "Please take a seat."

"Thank you," Byakuya said, sitting down on the chaise. He inhaled once, his lips trembling as his brain whirred. He looked around, the source of the smoke was gone, but barely, the room was still warm and heavily scented by a pipe.

The woman clapped her hands together loudly and two doors on opposite ends of the room opened. Women poured into the room, each as beautiful as the next. Byakuya sat in silence, eyeing the wide array of women critically.

"Do you notice anything?" Byakuya asked, crossing his legs as he leaned in toward Renji.

"I can't smell anything over the smoke." Renji breathed out.

"Good." Byakuya said with an approving nod. "What else?"

"I don't know. I feel a little nauseous." Renji noted. "It's too warm in here."

"You're being drugged." Byakuya said simply. "But I don't think it's cause for alarm quite yet."

"Like hell it isn't…" Renji snapped, sitting up straight. He pulled his shirt over his nose and mouth cautiously.

"What I notice is a decidedly vast selection of women." Byakuya said, looking up at the women as he spoke. "These women can't all be Serbian or Romanian. And considering the barkeep mentioned our multiplicity in surprise… I assume this area isn't so diverse."

"Does no one meet your fancy?" the first woman asked, twisting her finger through the ends of her hair. "Or perhaps you are looking for something else?" She smiled, her pretty face brightening, "Ladies, make room."

"Why?" Renji asked suspiciously.

But without a word from the women, the doors opened again and two groups of handsome, young men filed into the room. They squeezed into the empty spaces on the furniture. They whispered with the ladies, their eyes all locked on Byakuya and Renji.

"They do both?" Renji asked in surprise, looking to Byakuya for confirmation.

"Most bagnios do not. Well, at least, this side of Rome…" Byakuya explained. "Only the _really_ naughty ones."

"I don't know if this is a good idea…" Renji murmured, tapping Byakuya's shoulder.

"Try not to breathe too quickly." Byakuya said, almost as an afterthought. "You'll lose your mind."

"What the hell is this smoke?" Renji demanded, rounding on Byakuya anxiously.

"Calm down," Byakuya said firmly, placing a hand on each side of Renji's face. He brought their heads together, their foreheads and noses touching. "It's just an aphrodisiac."

* * *

Orihime stopped dead in her tracks. Jushiro's arm pulled back painfully and he nearly stumbled. He paused, looking down at the child with concern. "What's wrong, Orihime?"

"I don't want to go that way." Orihime pleaded, tugging on Jushiro's arm.

Jushiro and Shunsui looked down in the street in surprise before exchanging a look. "Ya know, Orihime, you're completely safe with us…" Shunsui assured the child.

"This part of town is bad." Orihime explained. "It's dark."

Shunsui surveyed the sunny street incredulously. "I don't see anything…"

"Listen." Orihime instructed.

And then it hit him, the heavy, suffocating darkness. Shunsui shivered, his grey eyes narrowing. Something was there, just past the unassuming row of shops. Shunsui sighed, gesturing toward Jushiro. "We'll come back when it's just the two of us."

"I'm going to have a quick look." Jushiro said, handing off Orihime to Shunsui without waiting for a reply.

"U-Ukitake-san…" Shunsui groaned, watching Jushiro walk confidently down the street.

Jushiro walked slowly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. He appeared to be casually strolling down the street, as if he were window shopping. He nearly disappeared from view, coming to a stop in front of a large multi-story building. It appeared well kept and well-built even from the outside.

Eventually, Jushiro wandered back down the street to where Orihime and Shunsui stood waiting. "One guess."

"The brothel." Shunsui said, clicking his tongue with realization.

"Yep." Jushiro confirmed with a nod.

"It's like every bad thing is concentrated in that exact spot." Shunsui pondered, biting down on his full bottom lip. "Damn it. Now I'm really curious."

"They've only been gone one day." Jushiro pointed out. "And we have no reason to believe they have come under harm."

"I know, I know…" Shunsui groaned. "I just hate standing around and waiting."

"Then don't." Jushiro said simply. "You could help Orihime with her Japanese lessons too."

"Aw, what?" Shunsui whined.

"Don't be a baby." Jushiro admonished. "You're a Samurai, act like it."

"If I haven't yet, I probably never will…" Shunsui teased.

"Good day, Kyoraku-san," Jushiro said with a curt nod.

"Awww, no, Shiro-chan… I'm sorry…" Shunsui groaned, frowning apologetically.

"Ichigo-kun has promised to spar with me today." Jushiro explained. "I will be out. Work with Orihime on her Japanese. Don't let her eat too many sweets. I should be home in time for dinner."

"U-U-Ukitake-san…" Shunsui moaned.

"Bye, Princess." Jushiro said, patting Orihime on the head sweetly. "You're spending the day with Papa."

"Hooray!" Orihime cried out, wrapping her arm around Shunsui's waist. "Bye, Daddy…"

* * *

"Where are your friends?" the maid asked Ichigo. "The slovenly warrior and the fancy tense one?"

"Which set?" Ichigo asked dryly.

"They've been gone a few days." The maid noted.

"Ah, them," Ichigo nodded his head in understanding. "They're at the brothel."

"Oh. Well good for them!" the maid exclaimed. "A man needs release."

"Ew." Ichigo groaned, shuddering in response.

"When you grow up, you'll understand…" the maid said knowingly.

"I am a grownup." Ichigo insisted. "Jesus, lady!"

"You seem tense." The maid said, her hands on her hips. "You should go."

"I don't have to pay for sex." Ichigo said, embarrassing himself even further.

"Oh, come on, now." The maid laughed. "You're not paying for sex. You're paying for the service."

"That's different, how?"

"It's like a poultice." The maid explained. "You'd be amazed at how those women do it. It's like a miracle. It removes all the negative energy. It's some sort of Eastern medicine…"

"Wait, what?" Ichigo straightened up, listening attentively.

"I'm not sure of the details." The maid admitted. She paused deep in thought. "But I know that if I hadn't have gone after my husband died, I would've strangled all six of my boys… They really work wonders, they do…"

"You went to a whorehouse?" Ichigo questioned.

"Well, of course. Everyone in town goes." The maid replied. "And why shouldn't they? That house has been around since before the town!"

"Really?" Ichigo pressed on. "And the church hasn't tried to shut it down or anything…?"

"Well, there has been some bad blood." The maid responded slowly. "But anytime a problem arises the proprietor takes care of it right quick. He's a strange fellow, but he knows what he's doing…"

* * *

"Why are we here?" Jushiro asked, stepping into the foyer of the brothel. He looked at Shunsui who merely shrugged.

"It's not like its's the first time for either of us." Shunsui said, smiling sheepishly.

"That was an entirely separate matter." Jushiro insisted, pulling his arm free of Shunsui's grasp. "That was a rescue mission."

"Well," Shunsui drawled. "Think of this the same way…"

"Who are we rescuing?" Jushiro asked.

"Byakuya and Renji." Shunsui replied.

"It's only been two days." Jushiro said simply. "And I doubt Byakuya needs our help to do anything."

"Well, uh, the women…" Shunsui reasoned. "We're gentlemen, aren't we? That should be a good change of pace…"

"Welcome…" a black-skinned woman said, stepping forward and widening her hands in gesture. She wore a thin, blue frock that left almost nothing to the imagination. She smiled, her curly hair bouncing with her movements. "Come in, come in…"

"You owe me." Jushiro hissed, twisting the fabric of Shunsui's shirt.

"Hai." Shunsui surrendered, his hands raised until Jushiro passed. "He doesn't speak Slavic." Shunsui explained to the ladies, pointing to Jushiro apologetically. "Take it easy on him."

The two Samurai were escorted into an inner parlor, smoke billowing out through the open doors. Jushiro stepped inside, waving his hand in front of his face as a coughing fit ripped through his throat. The room was beautiful and intricately adorned. Women were strewn over the sofas and lounges. They looked dazed, their arms propped above their heads or draped over the arms of the furniture.

In the center of the room was a slender, lanky man. He sat with a large, detailed hookah pipe wedged between his thin thighs. He flicked his head, rearranging the hair that was combed down low over one eye. He looked up, his heavily hooded eyes slowly focusing on them. He nodded, a puff of scented smoke unfurling from his pale lips. He curved his mouth to speak, his blue eyes meeting Shunsui's. "Ho."

"Hello." Shunsui said, walking further into the room expectantly. "Are you a customer?"

"Ha." The man's laugh was dry and unamused. "I'm simply the proprietor."

"Take a seat." The black-skinned woman instructed. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

Shunsui sat down on the closest sofa, a fiery redhead nearly ending up in his lap. The profuse smoke stung his eyes and the spicy odor made his head swim. Jushiro sat down by the door, his hand tracing the dagger he had concealed beneath his obi.

"Welcome." The blonde man said simply, his worn-looking eyes settling on Jushiro.

"Ah, thank you…" Jushiro replied before even realizing that the man had spoken Japanese.

"You speak Japanese?" Shunsui questioned, sitting up on the couch.

"Among other things." The man said, his tongue trailing along the mouthpiece of his pipe.

"That's amazing." Jushiro said, nodding in greeting.

But Shunsui couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling sinking into his belly. He swallowed heavily, looking around the parlor before his eyes settled once more on the youthful proprietor.

"It's been a long time, Katen." The man said softly, inhaling another puff from the hookah pipe. "It's good to see you."


	20. The Death Within Me

**_XX: The Death Within Me_**

 _"_ _Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live."  
_ -Jean Cocteau

* * *

"What did you just call me?" Shunsui asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Oh, sorry," the man said, exhaling languidly. "What name are you going by nowadays?"

"My name is Shunsui Kyoraku." Shunsui replied.

"Izuru Kira." The blonde said, nodding his head in greeting. "Call me Kira."

"Kira?" Shunsui shook his head in confusion. "Do I know you?"

"Hmm…" Kira drawled. "Guess not." Kira puffed on his pipe thoughtfully. "But I know you."

"How?"

"You're asking a lot of questions, Kyoraku-sama." Kira said, tapping his pipe against his cheek. "But let me interrupt you for one moment. Please, you can look but don't touch… All of these women are my friends…"

"Sama?" Jushiro looked at Shunsui in surprise. "Well you are a noble, but…"

"Speaking of friends…" Shunsui said, perplexed by the conversation. "Two men arrived here two days ago… A Romanian and a…"

"Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai." Kira said with a knowing nod.

"Yeah." Shunsui said, even more bewildered than before. "Where'd they go?"

"They're upstairs." Kira explained, his lips curving as he spoke. "They're totally fine. But if you don't believe me, you're more than welcome to take a look around… Just please, remember; you can look, but don't touch."

"Isn't this a brothel?" Jushiro asked quietly, feeling more than little confused.

"It sure is." The woman nearest him answered, her legs spreading apart pointedly. "There isn't a better place on earth either…"

"I wasn't talking to you, Samurai." Kira clarified, his face hidden behind a veil of hair and smoke. "You're welcome to any _body_ you want."

"Thank you, but that's not necessary." Jushiro began apologetically. "I only wish to check on our companions' wellbeing."

"Upstairs." Kira repeated, gesturing upward with a thin, crooked finger.

"Shunsui," Jushiro nearly whispered, tugging at the sleeve of Shunsui's shirt. "Come on. Let's find those two quickly."

"You go ahead." Shunsui murmured, shrugging out of Jushiro's hold. He smiled at Jushiro and nodded reassuringly.

"Fine." Jushiro said simply, following behind his female escort.

"Who are you really?" Shunsui asked, switching to the first language he could think of, French.

"My name is Wabisuke." Kira said in perfect, fluent French. "You really don't remember me?"

"Should I?" Shunsui asked, switching to German.

"I guess not." Kira replied. "It's none of my business what you do to yourself."

"What does that mean?" Shunsui demanded, narrowing his eyes distrustfully.

"Relax." Kira instructed, raising the hookah in offering. "You're too tense. I don't like that. You're going to upset the ladies or the other customers… This town is a good town. I don't want to cause these people any trouble."

"You're a Master." Shunsui realized belatedly.

"Yes, I'm a Master." Kira confirmed.

"Shit!" Shunsui growled, nearly knocking the sofa over backward as he scrambled toward the door.

"Oh, god. Just stop. You're embarrassing yourself." Kira groaned, waving his hand around in gesture. The young man stood, placing his hookah down on the table in front of him. He walked around several sets of legs and arms, coming to face Shunsui. He gestured up and down his slender frame. "I think you can take me, Kyoraku-sama…"

"Wait, you're just a shifter aren't you?" Shunsui speculated.

"I'm very much a Master." Kira replied simply. "I'm not sure what you were expecting. You know well that all of us don't munch on human bones and decorate our houses with the skulls of our shifters…"

"Ukitake-san?" Shunsui yelled. "Ukitake-san! Jushiro! Can you hear me?"

Kira sighed heavily, walking past Shunsui and toward the doors. He opened them slowly, gesturing for Shunsui to follow. "You're having a hard time. It's pitiful." Kira shook his head, smoke clinging to his clothes like a cape. "Let's go upstairs together so you can put your fears to rest."

"You're not going to attack." Shunsui breathed out, wrinkling his nose from the overpowering scent of the Master.

"The more you panic," Kira said lowly, his face twisting into a terrifying mask. "The more the humans are affected. Please control yourself, Kyoraku-sama." Kira smiled suddenly, brushing Shunsui's clothes off. "Don't make more work for my ladies…"

"What is it?" Jushiro called down, appearing at the top of the stairs, visibly out of breath.

"We need to go." Shunsui mouthed.

"Your companion needs a chaperone." Kira said, his blue eyes full of displeasure. "Why don't you go ahead and find Mr. Kuchiki? He's a much more reasonable fellow."

"I found him." Jushiro said, his cheeks staining scarlet. "He said that they'll be downstairs in few moments…" Jushiro covered his mouth, shaking his head in embarrassment. "They both seem well."

"So you found Renji too?" Shunsui pressed, sighing loudly in relief.

"Yep." Jushiro said, his lips held tightly together. "At the same time."

"Were they fucking?" Kira asked, a delighted smile twitching across his solemn face.

"They were." Jushiro said, descending the staircase hurriedly.

"Jushiro…" Shunsui began uneasily.

"Why were you calling me?" Jushiro asked, suddenly remembering the situation.

"This guy is a Master." Shunsui accused, pointing a finger maliciously at Kira.

Kira waved dryly, his hair settling back over his eye. He licked his lips and crossed his arms, waiting for Jushiro's reaction. Jushiro simply stared, waiting expectantly for Kira to attack them in some way. But the young man was calm and untroubled.

"What do you think of Aizen?" Jushiro asked, surprising the two other men.

"We grew up together…" Kira replied thoughtfully. "We suffered the same losses, knew the same triumphs…" Kira closed his eyes, his body fluttering against the wall for support. "But he betrayed me. He betrayed my brothers…" Kira locked eyes with Shunsui. "He is no friend of mine."

"And your shifters?" Jushiro questioned, stepping closer to the slight man.

"I won't lie." Kira said slowly. "I've mistreated humans over my long life, but mostly due to ignorance."

"Those women… Are they shifters?" Shunsui asked.

"They are, but it's not what you think…" Kira began. "It's like I explained to the vampire. There is no reason to harm my shifters. There is no benefit for me. They serve out their five year contracts, they collect the dark matter, I pay off their debts… And then they're free to go. No wolfstrap, no immortality…"

"Dark matter?" Shunsui asked.

"Five years?" Jushiro exclaimed. "Not one hundred?"

"These women have families. Some want to have kids in the future, get married to mortal men…" Kira explained. "They want to be human."

"And you can make them human again?" Jushiro questioned, his eyes wide and hopeful.

"Don't get excited." Kira warned. "It won't work for your group. Aizen doesn't play nice, and countless other Masters are just as bad or worse. My ladies never stop being human. They never die, for one. Regeneration isn't the same as immortality. The shifters in your group, they actually die before they are brought back. It's ugly. But not every Master has such little regard…"

"The Council of Elders, do they know about you?" Shunsui asked.

"Oh, I know they have a cute little book with my name in it…" Kira said, frowning. "And I know they'll pay me a visit sooner or later. That's the price I pay, being nonviolent in a dog eat dog world…" Kira paused, as if he suddenly thought of something. "I'm sure you know about the Warden? How much do you actually know?"

"Sorry." Renji said, jogging down the stairs two at a time. "It hasn't been three days, has it?"

"No, we're early…" Jushiro sighed.

"You should have checked in with us." Shunsui barked. "Especially considering the situation…"

"What situation? Him?" Renji eyed Kira as he spoke. "He's harmless."

"He's right." Kira said, glowering at Shunsui. "I really don't mean any harm."

"He's a Master!" Shunsui nearly shouted. He wanted to shake Renji.

"Byakuya made the call…" Renji muttered, almost too quietly to hear.

"Fuck Byakuya! This is what we've set out to do… you remember right?" Shunsui demanded in exasperation.

"Fuck me?" Byakuya said, appearing at the top of the stairs. "Someone is in a foul mood."

"You're supposed to be helping us kill them…" Shunsui groaned. "Not frolicking around in their houses…"

"Wow." Kira said, dragging the vowel out.

"Don't take it personal." Byakuya said, sharing a look with Kira. "He tried to kill me the first time we met too…"

"He's such a charming fellow." Kira drawled, his eyes settling heavily on Shunsui.

"Well, he seems to think so." Byakuya explained. "But I have yet to experience it."

"Why don't we sit down, relax…" Kira suggested. "And we can get to know each other better."

"I'm not comfortable with this." Shunsui protested.

"Noted." Byakuya said, walking down the stairs slowly.

"Fine, we can talk." Shunsui conceded in frustration. "But if things start to go bad, I will leave you here to die…"

"Fair enough." Byakuya said with a shrug of his shoulder.

"Ukitake-san," Shunsui turned to face Jushiro. "You should leave. Go tell Ichigo what's going on. If we don't come back, then…"

"Ichigo… Kurosaki?" Kira asked, his dark blue eyes narrowing. "One of the Council, right? Why on Earth are you associating with him?"

"Why not?" Shunsui asked.

"You're joking." Kira scoffed, his suddenly youthful face rounding handsomely. He laughed, his tongue pressing against his lips. He shook his head, tossing the hair from his eyes. And then, as he focused on Shunsui's humorless expression, he lost the bit of good-nature he had possessed and frowned. "You're not joking."

"I'm not joking." Shunsui said flatly. He turned to face Jushiro. "Go, Ukitake-san."

"Of course." Jushiro replied, nodding. "And how long should I wait before I let him storm in here?"

"He's not coming in here." Kira said flatly.

"Go." Shunsui repeated. The word was so forceful, so impatient, that it sent a shudder down Jushiro's spine.

"Ichigo's not a bad guy." Renji added quietly, scratching his lower stomach absently.

"The Council and I…" Kira murmured, summoning a pipe from thin air. "We have a long, ugly history." Kira placed the pipe in his mouth, sucking slowly. "I'd love to tell you all about it sometime…" Kira looked into Renji's eyes, a look that conveyed he didn't love much in the world at all. "It's a wonderful tale."

"Knock it off." Shunsui commanded. "Let's get the niceties out of the way here."

"Were you being nice?" Kira pondered, arching a manicured brow. "How shocking."

"What do you want to talk about?" Shunsui pressed impatiently. "What could we ever have to talk about? You and me?"

"Sit down." Kira said, and though he spoke softly it was definitely a command.

The group sat down, Renji and Byakuya on a love seat, Shunsui alone on a couch and Kira in-between two busty girls with billowing curls. He puffed away at his pipe, inhaling deeply and calmly. He exhaled slowly, letting the smoke curl around the other men teasingly.

"Let's talk." Kira said, breaking the silence. "Why are you here?"

"We stumbled into town by accident." Shunsui explained. "And then we found this place."

"How did you come to live here?" Byakuya asked curiously, moving up to the edge of his seat. His right hand tapped against his inner thigh impatiently, wanting to write. "How long have you been in this place?"

Kira eyed the vampire inquisitively. "I've been here in this town nearly one hundred years."

"And your business?" Byakuya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"About the same." Kira replied.

"There is no such thing as a good Master." Shunsui spat, shaking his head in confusion. "What scam are you running?"

"What are you smoking?" Kira asked, a sullen laugh escaping his lips. "Cause you are on one intense trip."

"Why do you stay in one place?" Shunsui asked, ignoring Kira's remark.

"Why should I leave? Why must I live the life of an outlaw? Have I done something wrong?" Kira asked, his eyes meeting Shunsui's in challenge.

"You kill people." Shunsui said flatly.

"Prove it." Kira said, the pipe between his teeth. "You can't."

"You're a Master." Shunsui retorted.

"You'll have to do better than that, Shun-sui," Kira drawled, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

"The fact you're materialized…" Shunsui pointed out. "A soul for each day…"

"You're annoying on purpose, aren't you?" Kira accused, letting his head roll back against a slender arm. He sat up suddenly, the hookah twitching in his hand. "You understand how to 'coax', right? Then it's evident I have no need to kill anyone. Not with these beautiful ladies at my side…"

"I do not smell death." Byakuya said suddenly, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled deeply.

"How could you smell anything over all this smoke?!" Shunsui challenged.

"Smoking calms me." Kira explained, waving his hand through a curtain of smoke. "A calm Master has calm Shifters has calm community…"

"You're serious." Shunsui said, nodding his head in realization.

"I'm dead serious." Kira replied.

"You're not going to attack us." Shunsui continued, disbelief straining his voice.

"Depends, really." Kira said with a noncommittal shrug. "I will defend myself and my property if necessary…" Kira exhaled thoughtfully. "There is no way I could defeat you. I realize it would be a death sentence…"

"I… I need a moment to think…" Shunsui sighed, pinching his nose and clearing the smoke from his face.

"Thinking is wonderful," Kira teased quietly. "You should try it more often."

"Do shifters mate?" Byakuya asked, the question bursting from his lips like stuffing from a seam.

Kira looked at Byakuya for a long moment before answering. "These women, one day, may be able to bear children because, essentially, they are still human. If I were to touch them, try to breed them, they would die." Kira paused, his fingers trailing over a milky white thigh. "Masters kill everyone they touch… intimately… and shifters have never reproduced…"

"Then…" Byakuya began curiously.

"There are no female Masters." Kira confirmed. "And there never have been."

"Then how were Masters created?" Byakuya pressed.

"There's the question." Kira said, lifting a finger. He tapped his cheek softly as he spoke, his eyes lingering over Shunsui, "but I can't tell ya."

"I imagine, now that I've spoken to you, it's something similar to the Vampire…" Byakuya mused. "Some great sin committed, such as suicide."

"I can't imagine Aizen killing himself." Shunsui said, shaking his head. "He's way too damn arrogant."

"Who knows?" Kira replied good-humoredly. "It's not easy being a Master."

"Oh, please…" Renji groaned. "Spare me."

"It isn't easy," Kira repeated darkly. "When every violent, wretched person seeks you out. It isn't easy to swallow hatred, rage, discord…" Kira looked directly at Renji, his eyes hooded. "It isn't easy to let humans hurt you. It isn't easy to accept their pain, their anger…"

"It isn't easy to be a shifter, either." Renji barked. "Do you have any idea the agony? The torment? 200 years I served under a Master! 200 hundreds of slavery!"

"You chose to be a shifter." Kira said, shrugging a slender shoulder. "And unfortunately, you had a careless and cruel Master."

"I served two Masters." Renji snapped bitterly.

"I'm sorry." Kira said so matter-of-factly that Renji felt as if he had been slapped in the face. "I'm sorry for what my people have done to you. It wasn't always this way… My people destroyed ourselves and now some of us are trying to destroy everything else…"

"Don't apologize." Renji said. "I don't need your sympathy."

"Fuck," Kira groaned, sinking back into a pile of warm bodies. "I should have stayed in bed today…"

"Do Masters sleep?" Byakuya asked, narrowing his eyes.

"All the time." Kira said, nodding. "We're unbelievably lazy creatures." Kira sighed, looking toward Byakuya as he spoke, "That's why we even have shifters in the first place. We can collect dark matter but why do it ourselves when we can have immortal slaves?"

"Oh?" Byakuya bit down on his lip.

"To be fair, it gets lonely too." Kira breathed. "Shifters were created for many twisted reasons. But the most understandable is this; if we can't mate with humans and we don't want to mate with the few others of our race, what do we do?"

"Fascinating." Byakuya breathed out. "So Masters don't pair up with other Masters?"

"Well, there's no rule or anything…" Kira explained. "It's just the way it turned out. We grew up with one another. It's more of a sibling relationship."

"How many Masters are there?" Byakuya asked.

"I won't say." Kira said, suddenly stern. "Since you plan on hunting them down and killing them."

"So you are an enemy?" Shunsui questioned.

"No, you're not an enemy of mine, Kyoraku-sama. But I certainly won't make it easier for you…" Kira replied simply.

"What if I said we were going to kill you?" Shunsui asked gruffly. "One less Master in the world…"

"I have a purpose." Kira explained quietly. "And I'm serving it." Kira stood, the material of his clothes fluttering behind him. "Creator knows I've tried… I've done my best…" Kira undid the tie of his shirt, exposing his slender, pale chest. He gestured to his heart before spreading his arms wide open. "But bless you if you can make the suffering end…"

"Why does everyone want to die?" Ichigo said, kicking the door open with the tips of his bare toes. He looked around at his group before studying the exposed Master.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Kira murmured. "The Grand Sage."

"You know me?" Ichigo asked, surprise evident in his voice. He walked into the room, copious amounts of smoke escaping out the open doors.

"My name is Izuru Kira." Kira said in introduction, eyeing Ichigo with distaste. "And of course I know the shifter who survived Veritas."

"You…" Ichigo trailed off, his cheeks reddening and his brain unable to process anything.

"Veritas has a certain sting that you'll never forget, doesn't it?" Kira continued, his fingers curling into his palms.

"Who's Veritas?" Byakuya asked.

"Veritas is a 'what'." Ichigo said simply, composing himself slowly.

"Not really," Kira argued. He walked forward, his warm hand resting on Byakuya's shoulder. "You're young and curious, Byakuya Kuchiki. And many things will never have an answer."

"Young?" Byakuya scoffed, eyeing Kira quizzically.

"Listen to me, all of you," Kira said, raising his voice slightly. "Nothing is cut and dry." Kira looked at each person carefully. "No one is completely evil or completely righteous." Kira walked toward the open doors, his shoulder grazing purposefully against Ichigo's. "And sometimes the truth is buried so deeply that the person with dirtied hands even believes the lie."


	21. The Tale of the Warden and the Dragon

**_Part XXI: The Tale of the Warden and the Dragon_**

"What're you in for?" Coyote asked, his heavy blue eyes settling on the young woman.

"Huh?" Rukia looked up with wide, troubled eyes.

"I was joking…" Coyote sighed, staring out the window of the tavern. "This feels like prison, doesn't it?"

Rukia looked around the cramped room thoughtfully. She nodded, her hands twisting together in her lap. She was silent for a long time, so long that Coyote didn't expect her to ever reply. "At least they aren't in here with us."

"'They'. I thought 'they' were your friends." Coyote arched a brow skeptically. "If they're not your friends, well they certainly aren't mine, why on Earth are they here?"

"They're not my friends." Rukia said simply, her eyes creasing bitterly. "They are the Master of my coven and the vampire who created me."

"You're too serious." Coyote complained, pulling his worn jacket more tightly around himself.

"Excuse me," Rukia said, turning her nose into the air. "I don't appreciate being held against my will and forced to do things…"

Coyote shook his head, laughing around his fist. He bit down on his fingers, as if to silence a cry, and looked up at Rukia. "Girl, you have no idea."

"Neither do you." Rukia said flatly, though her demeanor loosened up.

"Try me." Coyote taunted, his greasy, brown curls falling into his handsome face. "This is only the beginning. You truly have no idea. And I feel sorry for you, sure, but please."

"I attacked my brother." Rukia said, her eyes wide with a new wave of panic. "They made me attack my own brother!"

Coyote's body tensed, his eyes darting toward the young woman in surprise. Coyote cleared his throat, scratching his thin cheek compulsively. "He'll forgive you."

"You don't know him." Rukia groaned, pulling her knees up to her chest. "He's held a grudge for the last 400 years. He isn't going to just let this go…"

"Your brother…" Coyote began unsurely. "That's the vampire Byakuya, right? They keep mentioning that name over and over."

"Yes." Rukia said with a curd nod. " _Count_ Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Oh, well," Coyote said, rolling his eyes. "My name is _Vicomte_ Coyote Starrk."

"Countess Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia said, offering her hand in greeting. "Are you French?"

"By God's grace, yes." Coyote answered, placing his lips against Rukia's dainty hand.

"My father, when he was alive, he would bring a tailor all the way from Paris to make our dresses." Rukia said, looking down at her hands.

"That's a long way to travel for a dress." Coyote groaned, tugging at the glove on his hand.

"Is it?" Rukia asked. "I've never left Romania before."

"It's really, really far. Your dad was a frivolous man." Coyote replied with disapproval.

"He was a great man. Everyone told him it was such a pity, he had no sons. But he would reply, loud and clear, why have seven boys when he could have two perfectly clever girls?" Rukia recited proudly, puffing out her slender chest.

"Oh, sweet Lord." Coyote sighed, pinching his nose. "You're still a child. You poor, sweet thing."

"I beg your pardon," Rukia snapped. "I am 436-er-7 years old!"

"Your dad was lying." Coyote said, enunciating each syllable. "He was making the best of the situation. Who on Earth would want a daughter in this world?"

"What world?" Rukia demanded, glowering angrily "You said it yourself! What have I suffered that you, a boy, has not?"

"That- you- Wait just a-" Coyote spluttered.

"Touché." Rukia said with a triumphant smile "That's French, isn't it?"

"You're short." Coyote replied childishly. "So there."

"Yeah? Well, you have a long face!" Rukia exclaimed, pointing a thin finger. "It's long like a horse!"

"You have a round head." Coyote said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Your eyes are too close together." Rukia shot back.

"I like you." Coyote said, nodding decisively. "Even if you have a little boy's body."

"Yeah, well, maybe I can overlook your dumb-looking face." Rukia conceded. "Lord knows I need someone to talk to."

"Then we agree." Coyote said, staring back out the window of the tavern. "Every three days we should say something to one another…"

"You're very odd, Coyote Starrk." Rukia said, sitting down on the bed by the window. She looked over at Coyote, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Why are you so sad?"

"What do you mean?" Coyote asked, clearing his throat. "I just think you're wrong. My eyes are my best feature…"

"You miss your friends." Rukia realized, scooting closer to Coyote. "Don't you?"

"What friends?" Coyote barked, shaking his head and sending his curls in every direction. "Nice chat. Let's do this again sometime." And Rukia knew that Coyote was done talking.

* * *

"And what do you think you're doing?" Byakuya asked, blinking slowly. Ichigo and Shunsui turned slowly, their lips pursed together tightly. They shook their heads in unison, both of them muttering under their breaths. "Well? Explain yourselves."

"You don't have to come." Shunsui said simply, finally meeting Byakuya's cool gaze.

"But we have a mission." Ichigo added, his knife sliding along the wood in his hand.

"What are you going to do with two swords, three knives and a… a very pointy stick?" Byakuya questioned, bewildered disappointment evident in his handsome face. "You can't kill him with these little toys."

"I don't understand why we have to kill him at all." Renji interrupted, licking his lips nervously. "I don't think he was a bad guy."

"He's dangerous. Trust me." Ichigo said, remembering the intense look of abhorrence Kira had given him.

"Oh, I'm sure he's very dangerous." Byakuya agreed, nodding his head. "That's why you're both idiots." Byakuya wrenched the half-carved spear from Ichigo's hand with little effort. He pinched the spear between two fingers, snapping the wood in half in less than two seconds. "You say, 'Masters are evil', 'Masters are scary', 'Masters are powerful'… And then you proceed as if the Master is your father who will simply whip you soundly and send you to bed."

"We have to do something." Ichigo breathed. "This is all we are…"

"Let me clarify something quickly," Byakuya interrupted, raising a single finger in a halting gesture. "I am selfish. I am so incredibly selfish it will drive you insane over the next five years… I am so selfish that if you are about to die, if you are moments from death and there is no saving you, I will kill you myself."

The room was silent. Byakuya continued, undeterred, "If your corpse will feed my enemy, then your corpse is also my enemy. If your corpse will aid my enemy, then your corpse is also my enemy. You, none of you, will fall to an enemy so long as I'm around."

"That's so thoughtful." Ichigo murmured, sinking back into his chair.

"No, he makes sense." Shunsui said with a defeated sigh. "Especially since we're a food source to Masters as well as vampires. Who should we feed? Our enemies or our allies?"

"I notice you didn't say 'friends'," Ichigo said dryly, throwing his knife into the floor between his feet.

"You're right, I didn't." Shunsui confirmed. "Let's be honest, we're not all friends."

"That needs to change." Renji said, looking at Ichigo purposely.

"We don't have time to hold hands and weave baskets." Ichigo groaned. "That Master… He didn't like me… I got a bad feeling…"

"Do you know him or something?" Shunsui asked.

"Not at all." Ichigo admitted. "I don't really keep track of the list of known Masters…" Ichigo looked around apologetically. "The Masters who report are so well-regulated that I never really thought it was important."

"Report?" Shunsui and Renji asked at the same time, their brows knit together in confusion.

"What do you mean well-regulated?" Byakuya asked, and suddenly his face was rid of every trace of irritation. He was curious, almost happily so, and his entire posture changed.

"Well," Ichigo began slowly. "The Council of Elders is kinda… well… They get a bit…"

"Start again, from the beginning." Byakuya instructed, pulling a chair up behind himself. He sat instantly, crossing his legs at the knee.

"The beginning of what?" Ichigo asked with a shrug.

"When did you join the Council?" Renji suggested, eliciting a rather humorous glare from Ichigo.

"Perfect." Byakuya complimented, flashing an unconscious smile in Renji's direction. "When did you join the Council?"

"The first time I met them." Ichigo answered.

"What?" Shunsui asked, his attention piqued. He leaned forward, his knees jutting apart. "Really?"

"The beginning." Byakuya groaned, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Don't tell a tale out of order…" Byakuya looked at Shunsui, a strange glimmer in his eye. "That takes a real Poet to make work."

"The beginning, well, I guess," Ichigo's expression deepened. He looked down at his hands, busying himself with his torn cuticles. "The first time I met the Council I was sick. I can't remember how I got there, but I remember almost everything once the Warden found me."

"The Warden," Ichigo continued, taking a hesitant breath. "He's not human and he's not a shifter…" Ichigo paused, his fingers spreading through his hair. "It's like this…"

 _"_ _Who's there?" Yamamoto demanded, looking toward the open chamber doors in surprise._

 _There was no answer as the twitching figure shuffled forward. The stench of rotting flesh was unbearable and the Council covered their mouths. The figure straightened up, the form of a man outlined just barely in the darkness. The figure's head tilted, as if only just hearing Yamamoto's voice._

 _"_ _It's a shifter." Unohana breathed._

 _"_ _No." Yamamoto spoke firmly. He shook his head, his eyes narrowing. The Council waited, holding their breaths until the figure stepped into the light._

 _Urahara whistled lowly, his hand covering his mouth at the unexpected sight. He shared a look with Shinji who was equally caught off guard. Shinji clicked his tongue, his brown eyes creased in disgust, "The fuck is wrong with it?"_

 _Ichigo's body shook, blood dripping off his tongue as he opened his mouth. He let out a mindless growl, his knees knocking together as he shambled forward. "My… b-ody…"_

 _"_ _Urahara." Yamamoto said sternly, his brows knit in disgust. "Destroy it."_

 _"_ _But, he's just a child," Unohana gasped, stepping toward Ichigo in concern. "There must be something we can do."_

 _"_ _I'm not sure what we can do at this point…" Urahara said, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "Is it even a shifter?"_

 _"_ _We don't know this creature." Yamamoto growled. "We owe it nothing. It's clearly diseased."_

 _"_ _Dy-ing…" Ichigo's voice escaped much like a gurgle, blood spreading between his teeth and pouring down his chin onto his chest. "Hel…"_

 _"_ _He's suffering." Unohana said, reaching out a hand as if she might touch him. She pulled her arm away, her braided hair swinging from the sudden movement._

 _"_ _My body." Ichigo said suddenly, his voice deep and not his own. He spoke slowly, but fluently, his words carefully chosen. "I have selected a new vessel."_

 _Ichigo doubled over, blood spewing from his lips. He held his stomach with one frail arm. He shook his head, his other arm reaching out toward the Council. Ichigo stepped forward, a loud crack splintering through the room as his femur burst through his skin._

 _"_ _I'll put it down gently." Urahara said, retrieving his sword. "It will be a kindness."_

 _"_ _Don't touch him!" the Warden yelled, bursting into the chamber breathlessly. "And don't you dare kill him!"_

 _"_ _Warden?" Yamamoto muttered. "What's the meaning of this?"_

 _"_ _Oh-ho." Urahara cooed, releasing his sword. "You never visit."_

 _"_ _Is he a Master?" Unohana asked, averting her eyes from the wretched sight._

 _"_ _He's a shifter. Like all of you." the Warden barked, his slight hands roaming over the battered, bloodied body in front of him._

 _"_ _What's wrong with him?" Shinji asked, kicking his legs out from his chair. "I don't look like that."_

 _The Warden swallowed, "I need to take him with me."_

 _"_ _What do you mean?" Yamamoto asked. "To Carcer?"_

 _"_ _No. Definitely not Carcer." the Warden insisted. "He has to go to Veritas."_

 _"_ _But you can't leave Carcer unguarded." Yamamoto commanded, frowning deeply._

 _"_ _I don't need to be here to know exactly what's going on." the Warden said, his low voice rumbling from his chest. He wiped the blood from Ichigo's blind eyes, "I've been waiting for you, Ichigo Kurosaki."_

 _"_ _What do you mean by this?" Yamamoto demanded._

 _"_ _Sounds like he's leavin' with that half-dead kid." Shinji explained, his finger picking at something on his ear._

 _"_ _Understand this," the Warden said, turning to face Yamamoto. "I do not answer to you."_

"Yamamoto is a real ass." Renji sighed. "I wish I could've heard someone tell him off."

"He really is." Ichigo agreed. "So that's how I met the Council and the Warden."

"Excuse me…" Byakuya interjected. "But there are parts missing. What illness did you have? Where did the Warden take you? If the Warden isn't a shifter then what is he?"

"The Warden, Urahara and Shinji finally convinced Yamamoto that they should help me." Ichigo continued. "So the Warden opened this huge portal. Everything was ice cold. I've never felt anything colder in my life, before or since. And the Warden transformed. It wasn't like a shifter. It was unbelievable. Huge like a mountain…"

 _The earth shook, a thick, choking smoke filling the air. The Warden, back to his usual form, dropped to the ground, pressing his fingers against Ichigo's throat unsurely. He looked around, standing up and brushing off his bloody hands._

 _"_ _I… was… sleep…ing…" a throaty, deep voice drawled in the dark. "Whad-da-ya…wa-nt… Hyourin…maru?"_

 _"_ _It's Ulquiorra." the Warden whispered._

 _"_ _Wha-da 'bout 'em?" the voice rumbled._

 _"_ _He's collected all 666 parts." the Warden explained quickly. "And he's chosen a vessel."_

 _"_ _And?" the word was followed by a guttural laugh._

 _"_ _We have to stop him." the Warden said softly._

 _"_ _Why?" the voice groaned._

 _"_ _Earth is not our place." the Warden said angrily, his fists curling at his sides. "It belongs to the humans. If they kill themselves, that's on them… but if we kill them…"_

 _"_ _I… don't care." the voice seemed to wind around the dark cavern._

 _"_ _Nozarashi, stop this. Come out and face me properly." The Warden demanded impatiently. "Stop playing around."_

 _The cavern shook, stone shifting as the scales of an enormous black dragon uncovered itself. The lake in the center of the cave began to swell, seeming to grow along with the dragon's agitation._

 _A single green eye opened, focusing on the petite Warden. The dragon opened its mouth, smoke billowing out behind the laughter. The dragon moved its head slightly, gesturing to Ichigo, "Drown… it…"_

"Did you die?" Orihime asked, clutching the collar of her nightdress.

"No, I didn't die." Ichigo said, shaking his head. "And I thought you were already in bed. Go away! You shouldn't be listening to this stuff anyway…"

"Her Japanese has gotten really good." Shunsui pointed out, patting Orihime on the head. "Good job, Shiro-chan…"

"Now's not the time." Jushiro said softly, even though he flashed Shunsui an indulgent smile.

"I think we're done for tonight." Shunsui said, ignoring the devastated look on Byakuya's face. "I'm sure this is really hard for Ichigo to talk about."

"But we still didn't learn who the Council really is or who the Warden is… And now there's a dragon!" Byakuya exclaimed.

Shunsui's face darkened and he swallowed a painful lump in his throat. "Ichigo, I need to speak to you in private… Right now…"

"Okay." Ichigo said, standing up unsurely.

"Come on." Shunsui commanded, walking toward the door.

"Wait a second." Renji called out. "What's going on?"

"We'll be right back." Shunsui said, waving his hand in dismissal. "We need a minute."

* * *

"Tell me something," Ginjo began slowly. "What deal did you make, Frenchie?"

"Who are you?" Coyote asked, eyeing Ginjo critically. "Do I know you?"

"Cute." Ginjo groaned humorlessly. He adjusted his legs, propping his knees up. He leaned against the wall heavily, his muddy boats resting on the bed. "So? What did you get from Aizen?"

"I got to carry my dead sister around in a trunk for almost a decade before I dismembered her." Coyote said flatly. He tore a chunk out of his stale bread, nearly enjoying the flummoxed expression on Ginjo's face. "Hey, what happened?" Coyote thunked his own forehead in gesture. "Couldn't you read this before or something?"

"An unfortunate side effect." Ginjo replied coolly.

"That's a damn shame." Coyote said with a smirk.

"You're really broken up over it." Ginjo murmured.

"Listen," Coyote said sharply. "What is this? Are you trying to be my friend? Because that's impossible." Coyote's eyes darkened. "I just want to do my time, serve my sentence, and get the fuck out of here."

"You're beneath me, Starrk," Ginjo said with a scoff. "Don't get so cocky. You're just the Master's whore."

* * *

"I don't remember." Ichigo said, his face scrunched up with uncertainty. "I… I guess I forgot…"

"What?" Renji snapped, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I met the Warden and then I…" Ichigo trailed off, unable to recall where he was going with the conversation.

"The dragon." Byakuya suggested. "What do you remember about the dragon?"

"It was black, with green eyes." Ichigo said slowly, as if in a daze. "And its laugh…" Ichigo looked around at the group with wide eyes. "That laugh shook the whole world…"

"What the hell?!" Renji turned to face Shunsui. "What the fuck is going on? Did you tell him not to say anything?"

"Me?" Shunsui asked, arching his brow in surprise. "Why would I do that?"

"Well… what do you mean 'why'? You're the one acting strangely and…" Renji argued, his words cut off by Byakuya's chilling words.

"It's gone."

"What's gone?" Shunsui asked, looking toward Byakuya in confusion.

"The memory." Byakuya said simply.

"How is a memory just gone? That's impossible." Renji insisted.

Byakuya pressed an icy hand against Ichigo's feverish forehead. His face was an expressionless mask and for several seconds everyone held their breaths. Byakuya straightened up, dropping his hand back down at his side. "I believe we are done for the evening. I think I'll retire first. Excuse me."

"Hey, wait!" Renji protested.

Byakuya looked at Renji, really looked at him, seemingly studying every inch. Byakuya smiled, an eerie, malevolent smile that made Renji's skin crawl. "It's best if we leave it at that."

"What's going on?" Shunsui asked, looking around the room in absolute confusion.

"You went outside to speak with Ichigo." Jushiro explained. "You suddenly called him out in the middle of his story. And now he can't remember the rest of it… Why is that?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Shunsui asked.

"Come, Orihime." Jushiro commanded, his green eyes watching Shunsui warily. "Let's go to bed."

"Shunsui," Ichigo said softly, looking toward the other shifter. "What the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea." Shunsui admitted, feeling a terrible twist in his stomach.


	22. Pick a Side

**_Part XXII: Pick a Side_**

"Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder."

Arnold J. Toynbee

* * *

"This is insane." Renji breathed, tugging Ichigo's arm. "We need to be thinking…"

"Thinking about what?" Ichigo snapped, pulling his arm from Renji's forceful grip. "I can't remember a damn thing… I don't know why… It's just a blank… A big, black hole…"

"We need to rethink our alliance." Renji clarified, his eyes sharp and critical. "Shifters shouldn't 'coax' other shifters… And why? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Ichigo sighed, covering his head with his hands. "But we don't know for certain it was him… There's a Master here…"

"What do you remember?" Renji pressed, squatting beside Ichigo supportively.

"I remember meeting the Council. The Warden took me somewhere… There was water… And then my fucking Master… he was trying to kill me…" Ichigo breathed out quickly. "He wanted my body…"

"Well, that's good. You still remember most of it…" Renji reasoned. "But it still doesn't make sense for him to 'coax' you."

"Excuse me," Byakuya interrupted, his steely eyes settling on Renji. "What does it mean to 'coax'?"

"'Coaxing' is how we collect souls." Renji replied. "It's one of the shifter abilities. In fact, it was the first thing my Master taught me to do…"

"And it can also remove memories." Ichigo added. "Let's say, for simplicity, my soul is locked into place. You can't remove my soul. So if you were to 'coax' me, it would remove a memory instead."

"That's a disgusting power." Byakuya snapped, folding his arms over his stomach as if in pain.

"It's not something we are in the habit of doing." Renji noted. "It's bad form, honestly. I'm shocked Shunsui can even do it. He isn't a particularly talented shifter…"

"That's because Coyote always did all the work." Ichigo interjected. "And still does for that matter."

"Coyote… Starrk?" Byakuya said slowly. "And where does he fit in all of this? I keep hearing that name."

"He's a shifter. He has the same Master as Shunsui." Renji began. "He's just a kid, hasn't even outgrown his original lifespan yet."

"He's running around with Ginjo and Tsukishima right about now." Ichigo muttered.

"Back to our original topic," Byakuya sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "If Shunsui 'coaxed' the memory from you, does that mean he has it? Or is it destroyed?"

"I… I don't know." Ichigo admitted, sharing a look with Renji.

"You can just read Shunsui's mind then." Renji said excitedly.

"I cannot." Byakuya said firmly, crossing his legs.

"Why not?" Ichigo asked, his features softening with worry.

"Because Shunsui's thoughts are unreadable." Byakuya spoke lowly. "There are glimpses, of course, but they're nonsensical at best."

"What does that mean?" Renji questioned.

"I couldn't say." Byakuya replied. "But I will say this, he is an ally."

"For who?" Ichigo muttered.

"If he took that memory, if he 'coaxed' it from you, that means you're better off without it." Byakuya said, crossing his arms.

"But why? Why would he do that?" Renji groaned. "It doesn't make sense!"

"It's over. It's done." Ichigo said, standing up suddenly. "The memory he took…It was a horrible point in my life. It's over. It's done." Ichigo brushed his hands in gesture. "I went into Veritas and nearly died. I came out and had amazing abilities. That's the reason I'm so strong. It isn't me. I'm not special. I was just a normal shifter."

Byakuya held his tongue, desperately wishing to ask Ichigo a hundred more questions. He bit down on his lip, a frown creasing his handsome face. He watched Ichigo leave and instantly Renji let out a long, miserable sigh.

"Is he okay?" Renji asked, facing Byakuya. "You can tell right?"

"He's okay." Byakuya said with a nod. "Though, he's decidedly gloomier than he looks…"

"Can we trust Shunsui?" Renji asked.

"Why are you asking me? I'm not one of you…" Byakuya said.

"Because I respect your opinion." Renji reasoned, a slight pink tinging his cheeks.

"I would… if I were you…" Byakuya admitted. "First of all, he's extremely powerful, more so than even Ichigo. And secondly, he's loyal, if nothing else."

"But it's possible he openly sabotaged us…" Renji groaned, the stress eating away at his throat.

"Who is 'us'?" Byakuya asked, his eyes meeting Renji's. "You and Ichigo? Aren't the two of you here to support _him_? Isn't he a part of 'us'?"

"Well, I…"

"And then there's Izuru Kira, the Master residing in this dull little town." Byakuya continued. "He didn't seem very welcoming to Ichigo. Was there a reason? When Ichigo began to explain Shunsui became nervous. Why? There are a million questions and no one has answers."

"I don't know what I think." Renji groaned.

"That hardly matters." Byakuya murmured, his hand brushing over Renji's. "You can change your mind tomorrow if you wish. That's your prerogative."

"You're really smart." Renji whispered, afraid to react to the hand against his. He enjoyed the feel of Byakuya's cool hand and didn't want the vampire to pull away.

"It was beaten into me at a young age." Byakuya replied. He licked his lips, his hands folding neatly in his lap. He sighed, staring down at his clawed fingernails. "Well, sort of young. I spent my youth with a people who didn't read or write."

"I didn't learn how to read until I signed my contract." Renji explained. "I went from speaking one language pretty terribly to speaking any language I heard."

"That's amazing." Byakuya breathed out. "To think such creatures exist."

"Do you really think Kira is harmless?" Renji asked.

"He could definitely inflict harm." Byakuya clarified. "But I honestly believe he doesn't want to."

"Can you read his mind?" Renji questioned.

"Only glimpses…" Byakuya struggled to find the correct wording. "But it's intense and out of order. And sometimes it's in a language that barely sounds human…"

"What do you think Masters are?" Renji pressed. "Demons? Devils? What?"

"I couldn't say." Byakuya insisted. "But they're not like you and I."

* * *

"It's a pity to see ya go." The maid sighed, shaking her head sadly. "I wish I could talk ya into staying. The weather is terrible… And you've got two children with ya…"

"I'm a grown man." Ichigo glowered, his eyes creased.

"Thank you," Shunsui said, smiling handsomely. "But we really must be going now."

"Drink some beer first." The maid insisted. "That'll warm ya up for your travels."

"I won't say no." Shunsui said with a delightful grin. He took the offered pint of ale and drank it hurriedly, a bit dribbling down his chin. Renji swallowed loudly, wiping his face with his arm. Byakuya refused the drink and Renji took his in his stead. Jushiro and Ichigo drank more politely, but both finished rather quickly.

"Thank you." Ichigo said with a nod. "We appreciate your hospitality."

"Any time." The maid answered. "Good travels, Sirs." She smiled at Orihime kindly, "And you too, little lady…"

The group exited the tavern, stepping into the blinding sunshine of late morning. The sun reflected off the snow, the ice beginning to melt underfoot. "What's she talking about?" Shunsui asked. "The weather's beautiful."

"Who knows?" Jushiro murmured, ushering Orihime into a single-file line behind himself and in front of Ichigo. Jushiro watched Shunsui carefully, almost as if expecting him to suddenly take the group hostage by sword point. And then the feeling was gone, he shook his head, his hair splaying around his head like a halo. He cleared his throat, his hands falling calmly at his sides.

The group walked for several minutes in relative silence, the only sound the crackle of their boots on snow and the soft humming from Orihime. The child was immune to the strained environment and she twirled happily, nearly dancing as the group trudged on.

"Just say it." Shunsui said, his boots crunching loudly over the melting snow.

"Say what?" Jushiro asked, pinning a strand of white hair behind his ear.

"Whatever the hell you're thinking, just say it." Shunsui barked, rounding on Jushiro.

"There's nothing I want to say." Jushiro said softly, his eyes creasing heavily.

"All of you…" Shunsui shouted, the veins in his neck pulsating. "All of you are looking at me like I'm a fucking plague!"

"Papa?" Orihime murmured before Jushiro silenced her with a sharp pinch.

"No one's looking at you…" Renji assured him, shrugging his shoulders in response.

"You think there's something wrong with me…" Shunsui growled, his hands shaking from pure rage. The silence seemed to infuriate the shifter even more. "Yeah? Well, fuck you." Shunsui backed up quickly, nearly bouncing on his toes. He shook his head, biting down on his lips. "Fuck all of you."

"You need to calm down." Jushiro insisted, shaking his head firmly. "We can't have this conversation here."

"Then when?" Shunsui demanded angrily. "You, you of all people! We've been friends since we were eight years old! Eight! We've travelled tens of thousands of miles together and you don't trust me?"

"I do trust you." Jushiro said calmly.

"Yeah, that's why you've had your hand on your sword since the whorehouse!" Shunsui accused.

"We're all a little confused." Ichigo interjected, raising his hands in a halting gesture. "But there's no reason to fight."

"I trust you, but I certainly don't trust your Master…" Jushiro continued, ignoring Ichigo's interruption. "And the things we've seen and heard recently… who is to say that Aizen didn't take control of you?"

"Even if Aizen did take control of me… I'm still me. What do you plan to do with your sword? Would you try to kill me?" Shunsui questioned, his eyes wide and distraught.

"Would you want me to let you hurt Orihime?" Jushiro retorted in frustration. "Or would you rather I stop you?"

"That's all I need to hear." Shunsui spat, nodding his head bitterly.

"Shunsui…" Jushiro pleaded, panic seeping through his voice as Shunsui stormed off. "Wait…"

"Don't you dare take another step, Shunsui Kyoraku…" Byakuya warned, the sclera of his eyes darkening monstrously. He stood in front of Shunsui, even though the shifter didn't even see him move. Byakuya raised a clawed hand, the icy blue veins cutting through his nearly translucent skin. His handsome visage melted away, leaving behind a hideous, frozen creature. Black blood seemed to squirm beneath his sickly skin. When he spoke again his low voice was distorted horrifically, "We've made a deal."

Orihime screamed a blood-curdling scream that only ended when she collapsed into the snow. Jushiro kneeled beside her automatically, his eyes unable to leave the vampire's terrifying face. His skin prickled, goosebumps spreading across his flesh as he shuddered. Shunsui was completely silent, the anger slipping from his features. He stared at Byakuya, his grey eyes wide and muddled. Ichigo subconsciously began to transform, half his body invisible as if he meant to flee.

Renji inhaled sharply and walked forward. He nodded at Ichigo and then Jushiro, gesturing for them to follow. Renji forced a brave smile, his eyes downcast. He knocked shoulders with Shunsui before stopping in front of Byakuya. Renji cleared his throat, forcing himself to meet Byakuya's vacant gaze. "We always keep our word."

"There's something else here." Byakuya said, his voice nearly unrecognizable.

"What do you mean?" Renji asked, steeling himself against the pure terror that was the vampire.

"People of _your_ kind are coming…" Byakuya explained.

"Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked, the hopefulness evident in his voice.

"No." Byakuya shook his head in refusal. "But I know their scent… from somewhere…"

"We should keep moving." Ichigo said, his form rippling completely into view. "We don't need to meet any long lost 'friends'."

"Agreed." Renji said with a nod.

"Lead the way." Byakuya said, locking eyes with Shunsui.

Shunsui swallowed thickly, averting his gaze as quickly as possible. "Follow me."

* * *

"Five years is a long time." Shunsui breathed, sinking into the hard, wooden chair. He leaned against the table, looking at Jushiro wearily.

"We've made a mistake," Jushiro whispered, knowing full well it wasn't 'he' who made the mistake. "He's much too dangerous to be around Orihime."

"Careful…" Ichigo warned, his eyes scanning the street below with interest. "He'll know what we're saying about him."

"Today," Jushiro began slowly. "That was terrifying. And I'm not a little girl."

"I know, I know…" Shunsui groaned, laying across the table in defeat.

"And now we have another problem." Ichigo interrupted. "Byakuya mentioned others. Who are they? He didn't pick up on the shifters at the whorehouse… So does that mean Kira's shifters are really that much different than the rest of us? And whose shifters are coming this way? Are they still under contract?"

"They're too far away." Shunsui admitted quietly. "I can't sense them yet."

"I don't have their scent…" Ichigo replied. "But I have this pit in my stomach. I don't like this feeling."

"We're trouble." Shunsui realized, shaking his head with worry. "Nothing I do is ever easy."

"You are trouble." Ichigo confirmed simply. "And you're right; nothing about you is run of the mill…" Ichigo smiled kindly, his slender hand patting affectionately against Shunsui's back. "Which is why I'm right here with you. You're not like me. You're not like anyone else. And I want to know why."

"Bad luck." Shunsui replied.

"I think it's more than that." Ichigo chuckled. "Because I've never called a man friend that didn't have the worst of luck."

"We're back." Renji announced, the door slamming into the wall. He grimaced apologetically, checking the wall where the metal knob hit.

"We're still close." Byakuya said, his back pressed against the wall. He looked anywhere but at the others, his black hair falling handsomely around his pale face. "I can still smell the Master when the wind blows just right."

"It'll have to do for now." Shunsui explained. "I think we need a few more days before we move on."

"I don't wanna walk…" Orihime complained. "It's so boring and it makes my feet hurt. And the food is weird…"

"Serbia has plenty of orphanages." Shunsui remarked, arching a brow in warning.

"You would miss me." Orihime said, folding her arms over her chest with a pout.

"I can't believe _you_ think the food is weird!" Ichigo exclaimed. "The things you eat are pretty much inedible to every race of creature…"

"Shut up, stinky skink!" Orihime teased, sticking out her tongue.

"I'm not a skink!" Ichigo protested, his cheeks reddening.

"You're older than I am…" Byakuya spoke suddenly. "But you act so immature. Does the age you sign your contract influence your maturity forever?"

Ichigo's face twitched, one eye nearly closing as he focused on Byakuya. Ichigo opened his mouth to respond but changed his mind, a strange growl escaping his lips in place of words. Ichigo grumbled under his breath, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Back to the point I was trying to make," Byakuya said, returning his attention to Shunsui. "If I can smell him, he can smell us. Is that alright?"

"It'll just have to do." Shunsui repeated.

"I'm feeling unwell." Byakuya murmured, and the shifters could swear they saw him stagger. "I must feed."

"Here?" Shunsui asked, remembering too well the massacre in the village beneath the cliff.

"Here and now." Byakuya said firmly, his nails digging into his palms. "I will return."

"Do you want me to come?" Renji asked. "I can help, like last time."

Byakuya took a breath, the air flowing over his chapped lips rapidly. He looked surprised and a moment later his heart pounded in his chest. He gripped at his chest, discomfort etched across his handsome face.

It was several seconds later that Renji realized the implication of his words. He had meant he could stand guard, but he quickly remembered what Byakuya's feeding frenzy had turned into. His body shuddered, a blush creeping into his brown cheeks. "I can totally help."

"It…" Byakuya began, slowly regaining his composure. "It's probably for the best." He pushed himself off the wall, his clawed hand trailing over Renji's shoulder seductively. "Come now."

"I didn't mean it like that, to begin with…" Renji called after Byakuya.

"Are you insinuating that I am the perverse one?" Byakuya asked, his face turned toward Renji, his brow arched. He smiled, it was quick and then gone, but it was lovely smile that made Renji's belly warm.

"Of course not…" Renji agreed, chasing after Byakuya down the stairs and out of the cramped tavern. "Hey, uh," Renji began, walking side by side with Byakuya at last. "You said you weren't feeling well… Are you okay?"

"Blood is what keeps me alive." Byakuya said with a shrug. "I've been abstaining for quite some time. Just a glass or two a week. But recently, I've been feeding more often. Naturally, my body has to readjust. And just like a drug, when I lose my high, I begin to feel the pain…" Byakuya locked eyes with Renji. "That isn't to say the pain isn't there the entire time."

"So you're in pain?" Renji asked, licking his lips.

"Gut-wrenching agony." Byakuya confirmed, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Hunger like I never felt when I was alive."

"Is that why you want to die?" Renji asked, a strange feeling swirling around in his lungs like ice.

Byakuya paused suddenly, Renji nearly running into the back of him. Byakuya cleared his throat, his gaze meeting Renji's. "I lived once. It was wonderful and terrible and beautiful and ugly… but it's over. I'm tired." Byakuya grabbed ahold of Renji's hands, clasping his over the shifter's. "I am so tired."

"I've lived a long time…" Renji tried to explain. "And I still think I have more in me…"

"You became immortal because you wanted to live. For some reason or another, you made a contract. You wanted something." Byakuya pressed urgently, demanding that Renji understand. "I became a vampire because I wanted to die. Do you realize now? I never wanted this. This half-life is a punishment for committing suicide."

"There's no changing your mind?" Renji asked.

"No." Byakuya confirmed.

"I understand." Renji replied quietly.

"Good." Byakuya murmured, closing his eyes.

"But I'm staying here…" Renji spoke up. "I may not be able to change your mind, but you haven't changed mine either."

"I'm too hungry to deal with you right now." Byakuya accused, stalking down the street with an indignant huff. "Do whatever you want, you will anyway."

* * *

"I want you to deliver a message for me, Coyote." Aizen drawled, peering out the window with interest.

"Yes, Sir." Coyote murmured, stepping forward. He shivered as Aizen whispered into his ear, his lips grazing across his sensitive skin. Coyote nodded, grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair.

"And after you're done delivering the message…" Aizen explained leisurely. "Burn it down with everyone in it." Aizen said, releasing the curtains and letting them slide back into place.

"Yes, Master." Ginjo and Tsukishima replied obediently.

"Are we collecting souls?" Coyote asked, his cursed right hand aching.

"No." Aizen said simply. "I don't need them."

"And what about her?" Coyote asked, nodding toward Rukia. "Is she coming?"

"No." Aizen refused, shaking his head slowly. "She'll stay with me." Aizen smiled and it made Coyote's skin crawl. "We're still in the middle of an experiment."

"Seems such a waste." Ginjo groaned, crossing the street and eyeing the building in front of them.

"There's no free will when it comes to the Master." Coyote warned bitterly.

"Let's finish quickly." Tsukishima said, almost too quietly to hear. "I don't like leaving one of my own kind with that creature."

"You're not a vampire anymore, _buddy_ …" Coyote snapped. "You should've thought about that before signing the damn contract."

"We didn't really have a choice."

"You'd better grow some balls." Coyote challenged. "You've still got a long, long time to go."

"Deliver the message." Tsukishima barked, dousing the outside wall with oil. "Hurry up."

"Give me a minute!" Coyote cried out, pushing Tsukishima forcefully. "I have to go in there. Don't you dare fucking catch me on fire!"

The three men walked inside, Tsukishima dripping oil on the fine carpets. Ginjo paused, securing the heavy front doors. "Hello?" Coyote called out, sniffing the air curiously. "What's that smell?"

Tsukishima lit a match, tossing it to the floor without hesitation. Coyote's face twisted with rage. He scratched across Tsukishima's chest, shredding his shirt and several layers of skin. "I told you to wait."

"And I told you to hurry." Tsukishima said simply.

"There's too much smoke." Coyote said, the heat from the flames scorching his skin. "I can't smell anything."

"It doesn't matter." Tsukishima said. "I know where he is."

"Ya know, Tsukishima," Ginjo said, following behind the taller man. "I don't particularly want to burn to death either…"

Tsukishima pushed open another set of doors and the three men stepped into a handsomely adorned salon. Smoke billowed out of the room, stinging Coyote's eyes. He waved his hands in front of his face, surprised as the occupants came into focus.

Beautiful women were strewn around the room like furniture. They showed no sign of alarm or panic, even at the sight of three very imposing young men. In the center of the room, surrounded by women was a slight, blonde man.

He sat on the sofa, a hookah wedged between his legs. He took a puff from the mouthpiece of his pipe and exhaled slowly. When he spoke his voice dripped with contempt. "How may I be of service?"

"We've come to deliver a message." Coyote said simply, his stomach twisting into painful knots.

"Oh?" Kira said, his hair falling over one eye.

"Yeah," Coyote said, his throat and lips uncomfortably dry.

"Go ahead." Kira said, his face twitching.

"Aizen said, 'Pick a side, Wabisuke.'" Coyote said, repeating Aizen's message.

"Oh." Kira nodded slowly, moving the hookah onto the table in front of him. "Tell him that I just did."


	23. Wake

**Part XXIII: Wake**

"I have learned to hate all traitors, and there is no disease that I spit on more than treachery."

\- Aeschylus

* * *

 _"_ _Byakuya…"_

 _Byakuya opened his eyes slowly, the early morning sun peeking out from behind the mountains. He sat up, the dew soaked grass crushing between his fingers. He looked into Shuren's face, panic seeping into his lower belly. "What?"_

 _"_ _Wake." Shuren said simply, his blade pressing against Byakuya's thigh as he leaned over the boy._

 _Byakuya pulled his own sword quickly, peering around the camp in suspicion. His mind cleared quickly, his sleepiness immediately forgotten. Byakuya moved to stand but Shuren blocked his way, crouching over him protectively. "Shuren…"_

 _"_ _Shhh…" Shuren murmured, his lips pressing against Byakuya's to silence him. "No talk. No sleep."_

 _Byakuya nodded in understanding, rolling to his knees as Shuren stood. He followed behind Shuren silently, stepping around the other warriors in the camp, still asleep in the grass. Byakuya was curious, and nervous, and wanted to ask Shuren a dozen more questions. Somehow he remained silent until they had both reached the river._

 _"_ _You," Shuren said, turning to face Byakuya. "Go."_

 _"_ _Go?" Byakuya asked, his head tilting in confusion._

 _"_ _You go." Shuren repeated, gesturing to the river with urgency. "Now."_

 _"_ _No," Byakuya refused, realizing in the dream that it was a dream. "The others…"_

He didn't know if he meant the other Huns or someone else. He stirred slightly, nearly waking.

 _"_ _Byakuya, please…" Shuren pleaded, an unusual tone in his voice. "Go. Just go."_

 _"_ _Shuren?"_ Byakuya struggled against the dream. This wasn't a memory. This was a dream, a dream he didn't much care for. He fought to wake himself. He rolled in bed, tossing and turning with tremendous discomfort.

 _"_ _No sleep!" Shuren shouted, grabbing Byakuya's narrow shoulders. He began to shake the boy, his face twisting with panic. "I wait. You wake!"_

"Wake up!" Byakuya shouted, sitting up abruptly in bed. He swung his legs over the side of the cot, his feet hitting the floor loudly. He grabbed the closest blanket, wrenching the covers from on top of Ichigo. "Wake up!"

"Huh?"

"Wake up!" Byakuya repeated, his clawed nails dragging over Shunsui's shoulder. He gripped the larger man roughly, shaking him awake. He reached for Jushiro but the samurai sat up, his eyes wide with panic and an arm slung over Orihime.

"What's going on?" Jushiro whispered, twisting off the bed hurriedly.

"Wake up!" Byakuya repeated, swallowing thickly. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't know how to explain, because in actuality he didn't even know himself.

"Is everything okay?" Renji asked, urgently pulling on his clothes. He hopped on one leg and then the other, dressing as quickly as possible.

"Someone tell me what's going on!" Shunsui demanded, blood soaking through his shirt from where Byakuya had grabbed him.

Byakuya gasped for air, collapsing onto one knee. He clawed at his throat, his pale face dripping with sweat. His forehead touched the floor, his body curled into a ball. He choked, his nails tearing painfully at his burning throat.

"I don't see anything…" Ichigo exclaimed, letting the curtain fall back into place. "I don't hear anything…"

"Byakuya?" Renji kneeled next to the vampire, placing his hand on his back soothingly.

 _I had a nightmare_ , Byakuya tried to say, but he couldn't. The words just wouldn't come out. He tried to speak again, to let them know that he had no real reason for concern, but he could only gasp and choke. Renji stayed beside him, stroking his long, black hair gently.

Byakuya scolded himself, his shame and embarrassment increasing by the second. Get ahold of yourself, he demanded. He gulped for air and then settled, breathing no more. He blinked slowly, sitting up and pushing onto his knees.

"Are you okay?" Renji asked softly.

"I am alright." Byakuya said with a nod.

"Ready to get off the floor?" Renji asked, offering his arm to Byakuya in assistance.

Byakuya stood, looking around the room shamefacedly. The others had been startled awake, their hair sticking out sloppily. Their faces were pink and soft, sheet imprints still across many of them. Each man was in various stages of undress. Orihime still slept in the bed she shared with Shunsui and Jushiro, snoring gently. "I… I apologize…"

"What happened?" Shunsui asked, scratching his exposed stomach.

Byakuya was silent for a long stretch of time. Shunsui grew impatient, "Did you hear something?"

"No."

"Do you smell something?"

"No."

"Then what is it?" Shunsui groaned. "Should we be worried or not?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well," Shunsui sighed in exasperation. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"Why did you wake us up then?" Shunsui pressed, uncertainty rather than anger settling into his features.

"I was confused…" Byakuya began hesitantly. "I suppose I had a dream and… well, I…"

"Dream." Ichigo said, sleepily nodding his head in understanding.

"I don't dream." Byakuya explained. "So I was caught off guard and… I panicked."

"I'm going back to bed." Shunsui said with a curt nod. "Don't wake me up unless the inn catches on fire."

"I… I apologize…" Byakuya repeated quickly, bowing politely, his eyes downcast.

"Goodnight." Jushiro said, sheathing his swords before climbing back into the narrow bed.

"I'm going on patrol." Ichigo said, pulling on the rest of his clothes.

"There's no need…" Byakuya muttered. "I was experiencing sleep delirium."

"That's fine." Ichigo replied, walking toward the door. "But I'm still gonna go check."

"Be careful." Renji called after him.

"Sure." Ichigo agreed, flashing Renji a gloomy smile.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Renji offered.

"No." Ichigo refused. "I'll be right back."

The door shut with a creak and the room fell silent. Byakuya sat on the edge of his bed, his head resting in his hands. The bed groaned as Renji sat down next to him. Their shoulders touched, Renji's scorching skin warming Byakuya comfortably. Byakuya sighed, watching Renji out of the corner of his eye, "Everyone thinks I'm an idiot now."

"No one thinks you're an idiot." Renji insisted.

"I feel foolish." Byakuya confessed, his eyes rolling in their sockets.

"What was your dream about?" Renji asked.

"Shur-" Byakuya halted, the name freezing his tongue. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "I was sleeping in a field. Someone woke me up." Byakuya studied his claws with exaggerated interest. "They told me that I shouldn't be sleeping and I needed to flee…"

"Makes sense." Renji said simply. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"It just felt so real." Byakuya confided. "It felt like a message."

"Everything's fine." Renji said comfortingly. "And Ichigo is…"

Renji's words were cut off as a tremendous and overwhelming energy filled the air. The energy seemed to surge, like sparks to a fire. Renji let out a surprised yelp, jumping to his feet. He ran to the window as a heaviness settled over the inn.

Shunsui and Jushiro sat up, jumping out of bed yet again. Shunsui's skin prickled and his stomach twisted into knots. "Something's out there…"

"I feel it." Byakuya said, drifting toward the window mechanically. "This sensation… it's… blood lust…" Byakuya gripped the wall, his knuckles whitening. "This is the intent to kill."

"This feeling…" Jushiro wheezed, his lungs clenching painfully in his chest.

"Ichigo's out there!" Renji groaned, tearing himself away from the window. He ran toward the door, throwing it open forcefully. He disappeared down the hall before anyone could stop him.

"Where is he going?" Jushiro asked, unsheathing his swords.

"To find Ichigo." Shunsui explained.

"I will follow." Byakuya said, nodding toward the door.

"Bring them back." Shunsui ordered, locking eyes with Byakuya.

"Of course." Byakuya said, a tight smile spreading his lips.

"Be careful, you don't know what's out there…" Jushiro warned.

"I've got a pretty good idea." Byakuya said, his smile widening cryptically.

Byakuya walked down the narrow steps of the inn slowly, his hand trailing along the wall. He walked through the tavern and out into the balmy night air. The snow melted beneath him, a freezing mixture of sludge seeping down the top of his boots. He searched Ichigo out quickly, stalking behind the shifter curiously.

Ichigo hadn't sensed Byakuya's presence yet. He was so busy with identifying the energy that he was completely exposed. Byakuya rasped his knuckles against the outside of a shed. Ichigo looked up, surprise etched across his flushed face. "It's you…"

"It's me." Byakuya confirmed with a nod.

"What was that… that surge?" Ichigo asked, stepping toward Byakuya reflexively.

"Something's coming." Byakuya said.

"Like what?" Ichigo asked, his brown eyes wide and fearful.

"Close your eyes." Byakuya instructed, placing a hand on each side of Ichigo's head. "Are they closed?" Ichigo nodded. "Good. Now take a deep breath…" There was another surge of dark energy and Ichigo jumped. "Eyes closed and- inhale…" Byakuya rubbed at Ichigo's temples soothingly. "Like that… Now… what do you sense?"

"Murderous rage." Ichigo said, opening his eyes and turning to look at Byakuya. "But what is it…?" Ichigo questioned, swallowing uneasily.

"Does it matter?" Byakuya asked.

"Whatever it is, it's big." Ichigo murmured.

"Not necessarily." Byakuya pointed out. "It could just be really, really angry."

"We have to get out of here." Ichigo realized, slapping Byakuya on the back. "Let's go."

"You plan to run?" Byakuya called after Ichigo as the shifter surrendered back toward the inn.

"Don't be foolish," Ichigo breathed. "It's clearly above our abilities."

As if on cue, a dark, hideous hum filled the air. It lasted for several bone chilling seconds before dissolving. The sound preceded the heavy atmosphere. The air seemed to be choked from Ichigo's lungs. He kneeled weakly, his face paling as he clutched the side of a shed.

"Ichigo…" Byakuya whispered, his eyes darting around. "The villagers…"

"What about them?" Ichigo whispered back, still clutching the wall for support.

"They're stirring…" Byakuya mouthed.

"We need to get inside," Ichigo instructed. "Get the others and leave this place…"

"The villagers…" Byakuya repeated, turning in a wide, slow circle.

"If we leave," Ichigo suggested quickly. "Whatever is coming might follow us. These people are probably not the target…"

"Get inside." Byakuya demanded, his hand waving in a tight, small gesture.

Ichigo felt an overwhelming physical compulsion to obey. It was an unpleasant feeling and he tried his best to resist it. But he was powerless against the command Byakuya had given. He stood and staggered back to the inn, his body acting of its own accord. "Byakuya! You're coming too right?"

"Of course." Byakuya replied. He clutched his hand into a fist. "Now stay."

A door creaked loudly across the road. The door screeched continually until it struck against the wall of the house. Byakuya watched carefully as a hand emerged from the pitch blackness. The hand crawled across the ground, the arm sliding out of the darkness after. Byakuya frowned as several other doors around the village opened.

The villagers were on the floors of their homes, their bodies twitching uncontrollably. The first ones had finally made it over the threshold of their homes. They let out a peculiar hiss, pulling themselves to their feet. Their eyes had rolled back in their heads and their mouths hung open wide, their bodies jerking as if seizing.

"Byakuya!" Renji yelled, running from behind a storage shed. He paused in the street, at first surprised to see Byakuya standing so closely. And then his face paled as he watched the villagers making their way toward them.

"What is this?" Renji asked, his eyes narrowed aggressively.

There was another surge of energy and it lasted the longest yet. Renji was mostly unscathed by the wave but the villagers were devastated. They let out wretched shrieks as if they were being burned alive.

"Don't panic." Byakuya said, suddenly standing beside Renji. "You'll become ill if you do."

"Ichigo…" Renji said, looking toward the inn with concern.

"He should be fine." Byakuya explained quietly. "I sent him back. He should recover inside."

"What's happening?" Renji asked, licking his lips after he spoke.

"I may have to kill the villagers." Byakuya stated calmly. "They're going insane."

"And that… _noise_ …" Renji struggled to find the words to accurately describe. "What's coming?"

"A demon." Byakuya replied.

"This is a big village." Renji said, watching the cataleptic villagers circling around them and the inn. "Why are they targeting us?"

"They're human." Byakuya murmured. "They are easy to kill."

"But why…?" Renji asked over the growing hiss of the crowd. "They're surrounding us."

"I've never seen anything like this before." Byakuya groaned. "I have no more of an idea than you do, Renji…"

"Byakuya, Renji," Jushiro called out, stepping into the street. He walked tall, his posture perfect. His hair was pulled up into a knot on his head. He smiled, his green eyes sparkling beautifully.

"Where's Shunsui?" Renji looked from Jushiro to the inn door pointedly.

"He's watching Orihime." Jushiro said firmly, his swords swinging rapidly in his hands. "I'm taking care of this."

"I was hoping you'd come out." Byakuya said, eyeing Jushiro.

"Can they be saved?" Jushiro asked, meeting Byakuya's gaze. "Or are we granting them a final mercy?"

"Kill them all."

"Yes."

"I need to move…" Renji realized, looking around the open space. "I can't fight here."

"Move." Byakuya said with a shrug.

"You're in the way here." Jushiro added.

Renji glowered, preparing a biting reply, but he lost his train of thought as the menacing hissing sound died out. The sudden and abrupt silence of the villagers was enough to make his skin crawl. Renji shared a look with Byakuya and Jushiro before scanning the crowd. The villagers were all on their feet, encircling the inn and their group. They were motionless, silent, their faces obscured by shadow. "Did they stop?"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The scream ripped from a woman's throat. It was maniacal and wild, as if she were being tortured. Her scream ignited the crowd and within a second the villagers lurched forward. Without hesitation the mob began to destroy anything in their path. Several fights broke out between villagers, neighbor punching and clawing neighbor. Several crazed men began to tear down the boards of other's homes.

A group of villagers charged toward the inn. Renji cursed, running to throw himself in front of the doors. He began to transform, his tail whipping the first barrage of villagers to the side. He coiled slowly, his transformation still taking place.

"Ukitake-san," Byakuya called out, watching the white-haired samurai charge forward. Jushiro spared only a moment's glance toward Byakuya. His green eyes seemed to glow and Byakuya simply nodded in understanding. Jushiro would not need his help.

Jushiro slashed his blade across the chest of his attacker, narrowly dodging a bit of wood the man wielded. He flipped his sword expertly, slashing deeply into the back of the man's knees. The man fell with a cry, sliding a few yards in the melting snow.

Jushiro moved on quickly, cutting down every person who charged him. The sheer volume of the villagers was a problem. For each man he cut down another three seemed to take his place. Jushiro let out a pained snarl as teeth tore into the back of his leg. He struggled to move out of the downed man's grip while holding off his opponent's attacks.

"I'm coming…" Renji called out.

"Stay there!" Jushiro commanded. "You're the one guarding the inn…"

"But Shunsui and Ichigo are both in there…" Renji argued, hesitating.

"Stay… there!" Jushiro shouted, his sword cutting his attacker's head clean off his shoulders. He moved forward, spit, blood and sinew leaking from his leg laceration. He grunted and turned, his boot crushing down on the man's skull. He pressed and pressed only releasing when he heard the sickening crunch underfoot.

"I'll thin them out." Byakuya said, thrusting his hand through a woman's chest as he spoke. He ripped out her heart, crushing the pulsating organ in his hand. He disappeared, reappearing seconds later on the other side of the mob. He moved through the villagers quickly, killing them with gruesome simplicity.

And then the village was quiet again. The screaming stopped. The pounding stopped.

Renji looked around the town unhappily. He had never seen so much blood in his long, wretched life. Renji turned his back on the grotesque scene, covering his nose and mouth. Jushiro approached slowly, his bloodied swords in their sheaths. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…" Renji lied.

"They were innocent people." Byakuya said simply, avoiding the blood on him and around him with great effort. "But they were beyond our help."

"I've never just killed a whole village like that…" Renji groaned, squatting.

"They were killing each other too." Jushiro interjected. "Why? What could make them do that?"

Without warning Renji spewed violently across the snow covered ground. He groaned, his fist digging into the earth beneath him. Jushiro pat his back comfortingly as Renji emptied his stomach contents. Renji sat down, his legs spread far apart to avoid getting sick on them. "Thanks… I'm okay now…"

There was a sudden pulse of energy. It cut through the air like a sword, nearly crushing them all to the ground. Jushiro gasped for air, choking and coughing up blood. He covered his mouth with his hands, crimson spilling over his pale palms.

Shunsui bolted from the inn and slipped in a pool of blood. He fell but caught himself with his hand, pushing himself up rather nimbly. He corrected and ran toward Jushiro. "Jushiro… Jushiro are you alright?"

"Shunsui," Byakuya growled. "Leave him be." Byakuya could barely stand and he couldn't fathom how unaffected Shunsui was. "Something's coming…"

"Jushiro…" Shunsui repeated, ignoring Byakuya's warning. He gripped Jushiro's shoulders firmly, pulling the other against his chest. "You're okay… Just breathe…"

"Shun-" Byakuya faltered, dropping to one knee. He hissed in agony as he struggled to stand. The weight was tremendous. He felt as if his body might break. "If you can move… move!"

Shunsui looked up, evidently very concerned that Byakuya had gone down. "What?"

"Move…" Byakuya repeated, his skin fluctuating hideously. He met Shunsui's gaze, his eyes completely black. "Something's coming."

Shunsui lifted Jushiro in his arms. He stepped around Renji and climbed awkwardly past piles of corpses. He disappeared into the inn, Jushiro still cradled against his chest. Byakuya let out a dry laugh, finally pushing himself back onto his feet. "That's not exactly what I meant."

"It hurts…" Renji grimaced.

"It drove these people mad." Byakuya explained, taking a challenging step forward.

Shunsui reappeared a moment later. He kneeled beside Renji, sliding the shifter over his shoulder. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Go." Byakuya said with an approving nod.

"Whatever it is… the inn isn't going to protect us…" Renji protested. "Let me stay out here…" Renji's voice trailed off as he was carried inside.

"It's just you and me now." Shunsui said as he returned, stepping beside Byakuya.

"Well, and whoever is coming this way." Byakuya replied.

"You're strong." Shunsui breathed, eyeing Byakuya nervously. "We'll be fine."

"You're kidding, right?" Byakuya laughed humorlessly. "I can barely stand."

"Drink." Shunsui suggested, licking his lips as they waited expectantly.

"I can't control myself." Byakuya breathed. "You know that."

"That doesn't matter." Shunsui whispered. "You can kill whatever the fuck is coming and then…"

"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya interrupted. "You… Shhhhhhh!" Byakuya pressed a cold, thin finger to Shunsui's lips. Shunsui shivered, fighting the urge to pull away from Byakuya's clammy skin.

" _You…. You…"_ a voice cried out. " _You… your fault… It's you… You… You_ …"

"Who's there?" Shunsui asked loudly.

" _You made me… I didn't want this… I didn't want to do this…_ " a figure was just barely visible at the end of the dark road. " _I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this_ …"

"It's one of your kind." Byakuya realized.

" _I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this. I didn't want this…_ "

"I don't recognize that voice…" Shunsui breathed.

" _Katen_ …" the man called out. He walked slowly, but the darkness seemed to envelope him. Shunsui narrowed his eyes, searching for any identifying detail. The name _Katen_ caused a shiver from the base of his neck to the bottom of his spine.

"Kira…" Byakuya said, his eyes wide. "It's the same scent."

"Kira?" Shunsui looked from Byakuya to the obscured figure in bewilderment.

" _You killed them all_?" Kira asked, pausing in the street. There was another overwhelming surge and Byakuya collapsed. " _They're only humans_ …"

"You mean these villagers?" Shunsui asked, panic seeping through every pore. "They were attacking us."

"So you let them kill you!" Kira shouted, his face finally coming into view. He had clearly suffered. His face was twisted into a horrified expression. Steam issued from the corner of his eyes where his body temperature boiled his tears before they could fall. "Katen, you let them kill you!"

"My name is not Katen…" Shunsui called out. "I'm sorry, I'm not who you think I am."

"Shunsui…" Byakuya choked out. "Move…"

"Stop it." Shunsui demanded, realizing that even Byakuya was suffering. "You're killing people."

"It's dark matter…" Kira explained, his eyes wide and frightful. "I can't stop it."

"Kill him…" Byakuya growled. "Make… it… stop…"

"I don't want this…" Kira repeated, approaching Shunsui. "I don't want to hurt people…"

"Stop…" Shunsui murmured. "Don't come closer…"

"Shu…" Byakuya groaned.

"It's me, Wabisuke," Kira said, walking toward Shunsui with outreached hands. "Help me…"

"How? How can I help you?" Shunsui shook his head. "Just stay away…"

Kira grabbed Shunsui, his warm hands wrapping around Shunsui's wrists. Shunsui let out a pained cry as a strange heat poured into his body. Kira collapsed, his smaller body pressed against Shunsui's.

Shunsui meant to throw Kira away from him. He meant to fight him now that they were close to one another, but suddenly a sense of familiarity overcame him. The energy that flowed from Kira's body and into Shunsui's wasn't painful anymore.

Eventually the air stabilized and Byakuya climbed to his feet. He watched Shunsui and Kira carefully. His heavy gaze made Shunsui feel guilty. "That power…" Byakuya began. "You absorbed it."

"It's just dark matter…" Kira explained, straightening up. He pulled away from Shunsui and looked around. "It's our food, so to speak, but too much at once… It's fatal to humans…"

"You're not here to kill him?" Byakuya asked, gesturing toward Shunsui.

"No." Kira said, looking toward Byakuya with a sigh. "I've dedicated my life to nonviolence."

"This is nonviolence?" Shunsui asked, gesturing to the death all around them.

"Don't be stupid." Kira snapped, his visible eye darkening. "I have no qualms about killing you. My nonviolence applies only to humans…"

"Why are you here?" Shunsui questioned.

"You've started a war." Kira replied. "It was only a matter of time before I got involved."

"What about your business? I thought that was working out for you?" Shunsui continued.

"Aizen killed them." Kira answered slowly. "My house was burned down with all of my shifters inside. The town was decimated. There was nothing I could do against so much power."

"So why are you here?" Shunsui licked his lips. "We kill Masters."

"I've lost everything because of you." Kira said simply.

"How so?"

"Coyote Starrk waltzed into my home and asked me to pick a side." Kira explained, his gaze meeting Shunsui's. "And I did."


	24. Touched Gently

**_Part XXIV: Touched Gently_**

 _"_ _Nothing living should ever be treated with contempt. Whatever it is that lives, a man, a tree or a bird, should be touched gently, because time is short.  
Civilization is another word for respect for life…"_

Elizabeth Goudge, _Green Dolphin Street_

* * *

"You're staring at me." Ichigo growled from across the cramped room.

"You'll have to excuse me," Kira responded. "It's nothing personal. I just hate the Council of Elders and everything it stands for."

"That sounds kinda personal…" Ichigo hissed.

"You're not special." Kira said simply. "It's really not personal."

"Heh," Ichigo laughed humorlessly, his jaw setting in frustration. "Did anyone think about consulting _me_ before allowing this piece of shit to join our _ragtag, little gang_?"

"I never said he was joining us!" Shunsui protested, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You don't have an option." Kira breathed out, his hand fidgeting idly on his thigh.

"Oh?" Shunsui asked, arching a thick brow. "We don't?"

"No, you don't." Kira confirmed edgily. "You fucked me over. You owe me."

"Shunsui," Ichigo groaned, rubbing his palms over his cheeks roughly. "I can't walk around with a Master. The Council would…"

"Council this. Council that." Kira interjected heatedly. "Who's even on the Council right now? I used to know…"

"Yamamoto," Ichigo began.

"Shit. Hate him."

"Unohana," Ichigo continued.

"Hate her too."

"Urahara," Ichigo growled.

"I only slightly dislike him." Kira acknowledged with a shrug. "He's got a baby face and that annoys me."

"Hirako," Ichigo sighed.

"I think I know him." Kira replied thoughtfully. "He has-"

"A horse mouth." Ichigo finished dryly. "Yeah, that's him."

"And then you…" Kira said with a nod in Ichigo's direction. "The Golden Child of the Council."

"And Jaegerjaquez." Ichigo finished, his voice trailing off.

"Jaegerjaquez joined the Council?" Kira asked, straightening up expectantly. "You're kidding. And why would Grimmjow join the Council?"

Ichigo's face reddened at the use of Grimmjow's first name. He looked away, his lips pursed together. "That guy just does whatever the hell he wants."

"I've always liked Grimmjow." Kira explained slowly. "We bonded a millennia ago over our mutual contempt for the Council. I would quite like a word with him now."

"Well, to be honest," Renji interjected. "He never even goes to the Council meetings. He joined and hasn't once shown up after that…" Renji laughed. "It's kinda like a running gag."

"That eases my heart." Kira murmured. "Thank you."

"Why do you hate the Council so much?" Jushiro asked, his green eyes wide and bright.

"Shifters are a very unfortunate group of people." Kira began, meeting Jushiro's gaze. "Looking around, you'd think that shifters are everywhere. You'd think they lived forever. Only the strongest survive." Kira sighed deeply. His hands twitched and Jushiro realized he was missing his pipe. "Or rather, I should say, that the shifters who survive are so damaged that they can't die naturally."

"Ignoring my shifters, shifters usually die at the expiration of their contract." Kira continued. "Their bodies are poisoned, broken beyond repair. Those are the lucky ones. Shifters that _do_ survive have been, well, to put it as tactfully as possible, they've been so completely mutilated that their Master's life force has unconsciously been tied to them."

"So with that information…" Kira breathed out slowly. "A Council of extremely powerful and exceptionally imbalanced shifters takes control of a society of extremely powerful and exceptionally imbalanced shifters…"

"Bullshit." Ichigo barked. "Fuck you."

"You can get mad." Kira replied. "It doesn't change the truth."

"There's nothing wrong with me." Ichigo snapped.

"I told you, this isn't personal." Kira retorted. "The problem isn't necessarily with the shifters but with the fact that they've nearly become Masters themselves…"

"I'm nothing like a Master." Ichigo snarled, launching off the edge of the bed. He had crossed the room in the blink of an eye, his hand crushing around Kira's throat.

"Ichigo! Stop!" Renji shouted, his face contorting in dismay. "That's a Master!"

Ichigo straddled Kira's legs. Kira was laid out on the narrow bed, staring unblinkingly into Ichigo's eyes. Ichigo had both hands wrapped around Kira's pale, slender neck. He shook forcefully, rage exploding behind his eyes. " ** _Just fucking die_** **!** "

Kira waited, silent and unflinching, until Ichigo had either tired himself out or come to his senses. Ichigo released Kira, not even a bruise left on his pale flesh. He climbed off of Kira and walked wordlessly to the door. The door opened with a dull creak and Ichigo squeezed through the small space, shutting it quietly behind him.

"That went well." Shunsui said.

"I'm gonna go talk to him…" Renji groaned.

"You should wait." Byakuya suggested, folding his arms across his chest. "Give him some time alone first."

"Okay." Renji agreed.

"Listen, Kira," Shunsui said reluctantly. "We're hunting Masters. But we're doing more than that. It's my goal… our goal to kill Aizen. We understand that it's not so easy. We want to remove wolfstraps. This isn't a game. These people are dangerous. We need Ichigo. And if he doesn't want to be here, because you and he don't get along…"

"I don't hold grudges against mortals." Kira answered.

"That's not the point." Shunsui groaned.

"I understand what you're saying." Kira breathed out, clearly irritated. "But I stand by my convictions. The Council of Elders cannot be trusted."

"Ichigo can." Renji said.

"Ichigo can." Jushiro agreed.

"Ichigo can." Shunsui repeated firmly.

"The Council kills weak shifters." Kira whispered. "They use the strong shifters. They have lists of every known Master. They show up in droves, not the big wigs, no, the strong, promising, young and stupid shifters. They demand that we comply with certain rules. They demand that we register, that we report…"

"And how do you think a Master reacts to these absolutely comical requests?" Kira pressed on heatedly. "He kills every single shifter that dares show his face. Or maybe the shifters get lucky. Maybe they found a weak Master. So they kill him. They kill a Master who has done nothing wrong…"

"What Master is innocent?" Shunsui scoffed.

"The weak ones that shifters can kill!" Kira shouted. "Our race is like any other. Some stand at the top and others grovel at their feet… I'm somewhere in-between…" Kira said, calming down. He looked around the room, his hands shaking. "I report to the Warden. I follow every single little rule the Council gives me. And I know that one day, without provocation, the Council will come for me."

"I have nothing against shifters." Kira continued quietly. "And I have nothing against Ichigo as a person. But he's dangerous. Possession is fatal, but he survived. He lived because he entered Veritas… In other words, he would be dead if it wasn't for Masters…"

"He never would've been possessed if it wasn't for Masters…" Renji pointed out.

"And he would still be dead." Kira replied. "Fifty, sixty, seventy years of life, at best? That's not even a speck of dust in time…"

"You can't stay." Shunsui sighed.

"I will stay." Kira said firmly.

"Like hell you will…" Shunsui barked.

"Perhaps we should take a vote?" Kira suggested. "I will respect the collective decision of the group." Kira stood, smoothing his clothes. "May I join your fellowship?"

"No." Shunsui said in immediate response.

"No." Renji agreed.

"Yes." Jushiro said, his cheeks reddening as he spoke. He ignored Shunsui's look of surprise, focusing intently on Kira's fine linen clothes. He had his reasons. And he most certainly held opinions of his own.

"Vampire?" Kira pressed, eyeing Byakuya thoughtfully.

"Yes." Byakuya replied, meeting Kira's gaze.

"And Ichigo makes three…" Shunsui said with a nod. "You're out."

"Ichigo has not voted yet." Kira said, a terse smile splaying his lips.

"I think we know what he's gonna say." Renji replied.

"Maybe so." Kira agreed with a nod. "But we will still wait for his vote."

"The bodies are starting to stink." Shunsui said, ignoring Kira. "We need to move out as soon as possible."

"Should I wake Orihime?" Jushiro asked, looking over at the sleeping child.

"No." Shunsui shook his head in firm refusal. "If possible, I'd like to carry her out while she's still sleeping. It's a fucking bloody mess out there…"

"I am curious about something…" Kira interjected. "How do you intend to find the wolfstraps? I can't imagine every shifter you meet will know where their wolfstrap is…Or even be willing to tell you such a thing."

"That's our business." Shunsui snapped. "I'm sorry you lost your town. I'm sorry you lost your shifters. But you're not going to be staying with us."

"So you're going to hunt down the weak, harmless Masters and torture them to death?" Kira mused, a twisted smile on his face. "How cruel."

"We're going after the bad guys. Anyone who is following the rules won't get killed…" Shunsui reasoned.

"It's a big, big, big, big world, Kyoraku-sama." Kira said in a sing-songy tone. "I sure hope you find them…"

"We'll manage." Shunsui replied.

"Of course…" Kira drawled. His dark blue eyes glittered devilishly. "I know exactly where they all are…" Kira placed a hand on Shunsui's shoulder. His hand felt incredibly hot and heavy. "And I know exactly who needs to die."

"We don't need you…" Shunsui breathed, a strange feeling radiating from Kira's touch.

"And I know exactly how to kill them…" Kira murmured. "And you don't. None of you do…"

"Plenty of Masters have been killed…" Renji argued, shaking his head.

"No." Kira shook his head slowly, his hair falling over his eye. He smiled handsomely, but somehow it gave him a rather chilling appearance. "Only Masters know how to kill other Masters."

"Bullshit." Renji spat, looking around the room nervously.

"This…" Kira whispered, pulling a small, black pouch from his breast pocket. He pulled the strings and dropped a small stone seed into his palm. "This is the only way to truly destroy a Master…"

"What do you mean?" Shunsui asked, staring at the stone in disbelief.

"It's not your business…" Kira said, placing the stone back in the pouch and pulling the strings hurriedly. He replaced the pouch and smiled, pushing his blonde hair back behind his ear. Kira placed his hand on Shunsui's cheek and, to everyone's utter shock, he pushed up on his tiptoes and kissed Shunsui. "You're not the only one with secrets, Kyoraku-sama…"

Shunsui stood in stunned silence for several seconds before turning to Jushiro, a look of horror on his face. Jushiro merely shrugged, patting Shunsui on the back in understanding. Jushiro nodded slowly, a smile creasing his eyes handsomely. "Just don't ever let it happen again or I'll kill you…"

"That's fair." Shunsui conceded.

"Let's pack up," Byakuya directed, looking around the cramped room. "I will return shortly. I'm going to scout the homes for supplies."

"Robbing the dead? How uncouth." Kira pondered, tapping his chin as he spoke.

"You and I have been _kept_ for too long." Byakuya said lowly. "But you're too old to play pretend… You have the same blackened heart as I. You've loved the dead. You've robbed the dead. You've envied the dead…"

"It's a shame what happened to you." Kira drawled.

"Which part?" Byakuya whispered, a bitter laugh hissing past his lips.

"Does it matter?" Kira replied. "All of it."

"I'll be back." Byakuya said, ignoring Kira. "I'll bring Ichigo back with me if he doesn't return on his own."

* * *

"Uh, what?" Renji sputtered, blinking his eyes rapidly.

"I said, yes." Ichigo groaned, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"You're kidding…" Renji breathed out, folding his hands behind his head.

"Yabbe yabbe…" Shunsui shook his head, sitting back down on the feeble-looking chair.

"And Ichigo makes three." Kira drawled. "I'm going with you."

"I don't get it!" Renji cried out. "You obviously hate each other. For more than one reason, this is a bad idea…"

"He's friends with Grimmjow." Ichigo said, his face bright scarlet. He looked as if he wanted to die on the spot. "That means he's an asshole that comes with a personal recommendation…"

"Wow." Renji sighed. "You're agreeing because of that fucking buck-tooth sabre…"

"He doesn't have buck teeth!" Ichigo argued. "And sabre doesn't mean cat. A sabre is a sword, idiot…"

"Ooh…" Renji taunted. "Someone's sensitive. Is it the subject?"

"This isn't about Grimmjow!" Ichigo yelled, balling his hands into fists. "Shut the fuck up about him. Fuck! I'm agreeing to it because I think he's right!" Ichigo began to pace the room. "I fucking hate Masters. I don't have to like Kira to realize he's strong. We still haven't defeated Ginjo or Tsukishima. We are too weak! If we can't beat them…"

"To me," Ichigo continued after a deep, calming breath. "The only thing worse than living forever, is to die having done nothing." Ichigo paused in the center of the room. "I want to be a good guy. I want to have a purpose. And if we die, trying to fight the first Master we meet, well then I was nothing after all."

"I was a weak shifter." Ichigo explained. "I was dying and needed help. The Council was going to kill me. I mean, everything Kira said is true… They weren't going to save me…" Ichigo let out a heavy breath. "I can't remember anymore, but I know something happened to me. My incredible power isn't my own. I'm just borrowing it. And I want to deserve it… And now I'm just fucking rambling on…"

"You make perfect sense." Byakuya said quietly.

"You're too hard on yourself." Renji said, rubbing soothing circles against Ichigo's back.

"We're moving out." Shunsui said, or rather ordered. He looked around the room before lifting Orihime in his arms. He walked to the door, kicking it open with his foot. He hesitated, his eyes scanning the members of his group. "Whatever bad feelings you have for anyone else in this room; let it go. Everything stays here. You can't carry it where we're going."

"Understood." Ichigo said with an obedient nod.

"Clean slate…" Kira said, his lips downturned.

"You too, Jushiro." Shunsui said.

"Me?" Jushiro looked taken aback.

"You and me." Shunsui clarified. "Doubt, suspicion." Shunsui said, meeting Jushiro's gaze. "Betrayal, duplicity."

"Did you do something to Ichigo?" Jushiro asked, dropping all pretenses.

"I don't know."

"I need an answer." Jushiro pressed.

"Maybe." Shunsui replied honestly. "I don't know. I hope I didn't. I don't even know how I could."

"And what do you want from me?" Jushiro asked, adjusting his kimono.

"I want you to trust me." Shunsui answered.

"I do."

"Do you?"

"I do."

"Then I'm glad." Shunsui sighed. "I don't care what anyone thinks of me, beyond you."

"It's going to be dangerous from here on out." Shunsui said, addressing the room. "Everything else will seem like a holiday." Shunsui leaned against the door, Orihime undisturbed in his arms. "I may not get a chance later, so I'll say it now. Thank you. It's a privilege to fight beside each of you."

* * *

"Oh no!" Orihime cried out, sitting up abruptly when she woke. "We're walking again?!"

"Yep." Shunsui replied with a nod. "Mornin', sunshine."

"We don't have time to sit around and wait." Jushiro said simply. "We don't belong with other people."

"Nobody woke me up?" Orihime asked, sticking out her tongue at Ichigo and Renji.

"Are you challenging me?" Renji asked, flexing his biceps.

"I'm not afraid of you." Orihime said, her hands on her hips. "Papa's muscles are bigger."

"Heh." Shunsui laughed giddily. "That's right."

Orihime wrinkled her nose, a strange scent carried on the smoke. She blinked, her eyes watering, as she spun around, her dress twirling around her. "And who are you?" Orihime asked, bending to the side, turning her face to peer at Kira.

Kira sat on a large pillow on the rocky ground, his legs folded beneath him. He held his hookah with his thighs, the mouthpiece dangling at the edge of his lips. "My name is Izuru Kira."

"You're strong." Orihime said, stepping around the others and walking toward Kira who sat alone.

"You're Orihime." Kira said softly, his blue eyes hooded. He held the pipe in-between two slender fingers and Orihime could only stare at his incredibly beautiful face.

"Orihime." Jushiro said, gesturing the child back toward him. "He's a Master."

"You're a Master?" Orihime asked, frozen in place.

"Yes." Kira said quietly, nodding slowly.

"I wish you were Coyote's Master." Orihime whispered, putting her small, delicate hand on Kira's cheek.

The men were silent for a long stretch of time. Finally, Kira moved. He reached up and pulled Orihime's hand from his face. He held her hand in his before releasing it. "You shouldn't touch me." Kira breathed out, placing the pipe back in his mouth. "I'm a bad guy."

"I don't think so." Orihime said. "And I know. I'm good at reading people."

"Are you now?" Kira mused, puffing smoke into the air high above his and Orihime's heads.

"My brother had a gift…" Orihime began. "And he taught me everything he knew before he died…"

"Sora was a good guy." Kira said, his tongue pressed against his pipe. "But I think you are probably the one with the gift."

"How?" Orihime squeaked. "How do you know my brother's name? That's…"

"I'm a Master." Kira explained quietly. "I can look at every person here and see who loved them the most." Kira sighed, adjusting his legs. "I can see the person who made you _you_." What he neglected to mention was that that ability was mostly used against a person, usually when making a contract.

"That's amazing." Orihime whistled. "Do everyone!"

"Just because I know something doesn't make it my business." Kira said, inhaling rapidly. "You live longer if you learn to mind your own business."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Byakuya agreed, flinging his hair out of his face.

"So," Kira asked, smiling up at Orihime handsomely. "Do I get your approval?"

"My approval? Hmm…" Orihime began to pace, her hands held behind her back. "Where are your shifters? Are you nice to them?"

"They're dead." Kira replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But I was very nice to them."

"Oh…" Orihime breathed out loudly. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Kira replied. "Humans die. Their souls will go back into the mighty river in my homeland and then one day they'll be reborn again someplace else." Kira smiled. "Don't you think that's beautiful?"

"Coyote Starrk believes in Heaven." Orihime said with a nod. "So that's where I'm going."

Kira laughed, it was nasal but not unpleasant. "Okay," Kira nodded. "I know the man in charge. I'll put in a good word for you."

"I've decided we can keep you." Orihime said, brushing her hands together with finality. "But you stink." She wagged her finger at Kira in disapproval. "Da- Jushiro doesn't like people who smell. He'll make you take a bath every other day if you smell…"

"Do you mean I smell or the smoke smells?" Kira asked, his eyes wide.

"I'm hungry." Orihime declared, spinning back around to the others.

"I'll make something." Jushiro said with a nod.

"Hooray!" Orihime cheered.

"Excuse me," Kira called out, waving his hand for her attention. "Did you mean that I smell or that my hookah smells?"

"You cut the herbs, Orihime." Jushiro instructed. "Shunsui, catch me two rabbits for a stew."

"Okay." Shunsui agreed, climbing to his feet.

"Excuse me, little girl…" Kira groaned. "Are you saying I stink?"

"Thyme and cilantro, right?" Orihime asked, looking up at Jushiro.

"Hey, don't ignore me!" Kira exclaimed.

Orihime laughed, turning back to look at Kira. "Daddy has bad lungs. So you shouldn't smoke too much around him."

"Oh?" Kira shook his head in bemusement. "But it calms me." Kira shrugged, his clothing sliding down his back and exposing his pale shoulder. "You wouldn't like me when I'm anxious."

"There's nothing to be anxious about." Orihime insisted. "We're a family here. And family sticks together."

"Oh, dear…" Kira sighed, switching to Sumatran. "You're horrible, Shunsui."

"How so?" Shunsui asked, hesitant to speak in another language in front of Jushiro.

"You're cursed." Kira explained. "She's too brilliant to live this sort of life."

"I know that." Shunsui conceded. "But she didn't have anyone. And at her age… No one is going to take her in as their own…"

"Your goal or her." Kira said firmly. "You have to choose which one to put first."

"That-"

"Listen to me," Kira interrupted. "She's human. You only have so long before she goes." Kira puffed on his pipe before continuing. "Aizen left her alive. That's unusual for him. Frankly, it concerns me."

"I know, I'm worried too." Shunsui groaned.

"Make your decision." Kira pressed. "No one will know. But you have to decide. Which is the priority?"

"I understand." Shunsui admitted, covering his mouth with his hand.

"So, which is it?" Kira asked.

"I'll be right back with those rabbits." Shunsui said in Japanese, grabbing some rope from his pack. "We'll move out after we eat."

"That's your answer?" Kira questioned, his face expressionless.

Shunsui nodded, "Yes it is."


	25. Such an Innocent Gesture

**_Part XXV: Such an Innocent Gesture_**

"You, uh, you've got something in your hair…" Renji explained, his large, warm hand combing through Byakuya's black hair. He plucked the stalk of grass, twisting it between his fingers. He pursed his lips together and blew, sending the grass flying into the air. "It's out."

"Thank you." Byakuya said, his grey eyes focused on the road ahead of them.

"You tired of walking?" Renji asked, nearly bouncing on his feet. He seemed to have an inordinate amount of energy, but in truth he couldn't feel his feet and was trying to avoid the peculiar sensation.

"It's warm here." Byakuya said, crinkling his nose in distaste. "And humid." Byakuya turned to look at Renji, letting out a small sigh. "I don't mind the walking. It's the miserable, disgusting climate I'm tired of."

"Are you crazy?!" Kira asked, groaning with effort. "I haven't walked a mile in probably the last 30 years. So much fucking walking…" Kira shrugged his arms out of his shirt, fanning himself with exhaustion.

"My legs feel like they're going to fall off." Ichigo murmured, pausing in the road to stretch.

"My feet, my legs," Kira complained, glowering at Shunsui's back. "Hell, even my nipples feel like they're gonna fall off."

"You don't have to come." Shunsui replied, adjusting Orihime's position on his back.

"The Roman Legions walked less a day than we do." Kira groaned.

"You're a Master." Shunsui called over his shoulder, trying his best to ignore the stitch in his side.

"Shunsui," Jushiro interjected. He doubled over, his hands resting above his knees. He took several shallow breaths, his hair dragging against the ground. "This is too much walking."

"Alright." Shunsui conceded, wincing as his knee froze up. "We're setting up camp."

"Not on the road." Byakuya said, shaking his head. "That's a terrible idea."

"Someone would have to be insane to attack our group." Shunsui argued, lowering Orihime to the ground.

"The world has no shortage of insane people." Byakuya replied. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "We cannot set up a camp on the road, near the road, or in sight of the road."

"The Vampire is right." Kira said with a nod.

"I don't care where we camp as long as I get to sit down in the next five minutes." Ichigo said, rolling his eyes.

"Hush and be patient." Kira drawled. He removed his shirt from around his waist and walked off the road. He stopped in the center of the field and laid down, his arms and legs sprawled out.

"What's he doing?" Jushiro asked, narrowing his eyes expectantly.

"Is he laying down to die?" Orihime asked, pulling on Jushiro's sleeve.

"No, no." Jushiro murmured, shaking his head.

"I have no idea what he's doing." Shunsui admitted.

"We should ask." Renji suggested.

"You ask." Shunsui said with a frown. "I'm half afraid to know."

"He-y!" Ichigo shouted, waving his hand over his head in gesture. "What're you doing?"

"He said to be patient." Byakuya said quietly, folding his arms over his chest. "Let's practice patience."

They had only a few moments left to wonder. A strange, thick fog rolled into the field. It was dense and the men could taste the water on their tongues. In the space of a few minutes, the fog had thickened and spread, blocking out even the sun.

"I can't see anything." Shunsui said, his hand reaching for Jushiro's.

"What's going on?" Orihime whispered, her face pressed into the back of Shunsui's shirt.

"It's a house." Byakuya murmured, taking a step forward. "There's a house in the field."

"Look!" Ichigo exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief.

And as the fog began to clear, the group could very clearly see the shadowy and eerie house in the center of the field. Kira stood in the doorway, his features shrouded by darkness. He turned away wordlessly, disappearing into the home.

"That's unbelievable…" Shunsui breathed out, his mouth agape.

"There's no way I'm going in there." Orihime refused. She stomped her foot, screaming as Shunsui lifted her into his arms to carry her. "No! No! No way! It's haunted!"

"It's not haunted…" Shunsui groaned. "How can it be haunted? It was just made…"

"It's full of souls!" Orihime screamed, trying her best to crawl over Shunsui's shoulder and down his back to freedom.

"Be quiet, child." Byakuya said firmly, his eyes meeting hers. "It's not proper to refuse a gift."

Unspoken as it may be, none of the shifters wanted to go inside. Byakuya entered the house first and a few excruciating seconds later Renji followed in after him. The house was simple and clean. There were three rows of tidy beds and a rudimentary kitchen.

"Better?" Kira asked, eyeing Byakuya with interest.

"We're still near the road." Byakuya said with a smirk. "But this will do."

"How did you do this?" Renji asked with wide, unblinking eyes.

"Dark matter." Kira said simply as he sat down on one of the beds. "I'll be needing more soon. I used nearly all of it."

"Wow." Ichigo said, stepping inside the house. "Not bad."

"Your Masters never made a chair or anything appear from nothing?" Kira asked, his hookah suddenly appearing in his lap.

"A chair and a house are two different things…" Shunsui whistled lowly. "Yabbe, yabbe…"

"You made this?" Jushiro asked, his fingers trailing along the wall with astonishment.

"Good grief, no." Kira laughed dryly.

"Then how?" Byakuya asked, sitting down on the same bed as Kira. He stared at Kira, his fingers aching to hold a pen.

"It's complicated." Kira exhaled. "But Masters don't just exist in one place. Body and Soul are, uh, well, kept separate. So there has to be some connection. It's like a tunnel. A portal, if you will. I simply exit in a different spot, somewhere between my Body and Soul. And then I can move things through the portal…"

"So you stole someone's house?" Renji asked, arching a brow.

"Don't be ridiculous." Kira groaned. "I don't harm humans."

"Then how?" Byakuya pressed, excitedly.

"This home was destroyed. I found it somewhere else and put it back together here." Kira explained. "Everything here was either broken or abandoned."

"So," Ichigo questioned, his hands clasped behind his back. "Is that how Masters travel?"

"Yes." Kira nodded. "We certainly don't walk everywhere."

"Does it work on people?" Byakuya asked, his eyes wide.

"I don't harm humans." Kira repeated.

"Does it work on humans, in theory?" Byakuya questioned.

"Yes." Kira said with a nod. "It's easy."

"Could you put them back together?" Byakuya whispered. "Could you do that?"

"I can't bring people back to life." Kira said firmly, dropping his pipe. "Only the Creator has that power." Kira shook his head adamantly. "There is no way to bring back the dead. Don't ever try."

"Why? What happens?" Byakuya asked, undeterred.

"A person can't exist without a soul. After death the soul departs to the river… If I was to bring someone back, I would have a body and no soul. Technically speaking, I would have to put a new soul inside. That leaves two options, my own soul or another human's soul… Either way, it's not the same person…"

"Don't try to bring the dead back to life." Ichigo said. "I learned that the hard way."

"I'm not trying to bring anyone back." Byakuya replied. "I was curious to see if it held any answers to my own curse."

"Ah," Kira said with a nod. "I understand now. Vampires… vampires are something else entirely. It has nothing to do with us, I'm afraid. So I can't help you."

"Why am I standing up?" Ichigo cried, jumping onto the nearest bed. He rolled over, crushing the pillow in his arms. "Oh God. This is nice."

"I'm not as tired as everyone else," Byakuya said, standing quickly. "I'll catch dinner." Byakuya looked to Jushiro and Orihime purposefully. "But I didn't cook before I died and I certainly don't cook now."

"I'll take care of it." Shunsui said, patting Jushiro on the knee. "Ukitake-san is better, but I can cook too."

"Do you want company?" Renji asked, attempting to stand. He was too exhausted. His body wouldn't even budge.

"You're fatigued. Stay here and rest." Byakuya replied.

"I'll come." Renji offered. "I'm not that tired."

"Go to sleep." Byakuya ordered, pressing his hand in the center of Renji's chest. He knocked the redhead backward onto the bed. And the instant Renji's head touched the pillow he was asleep.

"That's a cute trick." Kira murmured.

"It works on humans and animals." Byakuya said quietly. "It only works on the shifters if they're weakened."

"You're a scary guy." Kira said, exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

"What does that mean, coming from you?" Byakuya questioned, his steely grey eyes meeting Kira's.

"I suppose," Kira drawled. "That it's a compliment."

* * *

"Right here." Kira said, stabbing a thin finger onto the map. "This is where we're headed."

"A Master lives there?" Shunsui asked, exchanging looks with Jushiro.

"Yes." Kira confirmed, looking around the table at the others. "This is our first stop. If we can't beat him, we can't beat any of them."

"He's weak?" Renji asked, staring fixedly at the map.

"Not at all." Kira shook his head slowly. "He's probably comparable to me in strength, but that's not the issue."

"What's the issue?" Ichigo asked from his seat on the bed.

"Dark matter is, say, like a drug." Kira began to explain. "I can consume dark matter on a regular basis and not get 'sick' because I don't overindulge. Some Masters, the ones you are most familiar with, are addicted. They consume dark matter like air…"

"You said dark matter is your food source." Byakuya said, nodding his head in understanding. "So in essence, it's like blood for a vampire. The hungry vampires will never be as strong as those who drink everyday…"

"Exactly." Kira drawled. "It won't be hard to get more dark matter, but it will be time consuming."

"How much time do you need?" Shunsui asked.

"A week." Kira replied with a shrug. "But I need to be somewhere populated. This place is no good."

"I have a question." Byakuya interrupted, crossing his legs at the knee.

"Yes?"

"In my understanding," Byakuya began slowly. "A Master has one night a month to have corporeal form. The collection of souls determines how much longer after that, correct?"

"Correct." Kira said. "But souls don't matter, it's dark matter we need."

"Dark matter." Byakuya repeated, memorizing the correction. "So how are you here? Have you collected so much dark matter that you are able to maintain yourself?"

"This is a complicated question." Kira drawled, his blue eyes flashing. "And it's rather personal information that I'm not sure I'm comfortable divulging."

"My apologies." Byakuya murmured, his lips pursing with disappointment.

"We're a team." Shunsui interjected. "We all trust one another here. The end."

"Fine, fine," Kira breathed out. "But it's a long story."

"We're listening." Shunsui replied.

"Okay, long, long ago, in a far off place," Kira began, a smirk twisting his handsome face. "There once was a race of monsters with no fathers, mothers or sisters. These young monsters were neither human nor animal and would change their appearance with the waning of the moon. The monsters were weak and vulnerable. Humans hated them, they chased them out, they hurled stones and wielded fire. It was dangerous and lonely to be such a monster…"

"Three of the monsters stood out from the rest. They were stronger, smarter and cleverer." Kira laughed suddenly. "Eventually the monsters grew. They changed from children into young men. Their powers grew too. And suddenly many of the monsters were unhappy with how the three monsters led."

"The monsters broke into three groups." Kira continued. "Those with, those against, and those who remained neutral." Kira frowned deeply. "There was a war amongst this race of monsters. It wasn't just our friends who fought against us, it was our family…" Kira shook his head in disappointment. "In the end, the strongest three were left standing. Their only opposition was Kyoka Su-, I mean Aizen."

"Aizen was incredibly strong. He had consumed so much dark matter that he was nearly unstoppable. This war wasn't just about us. The entire world hung in the balance…" Kira chuckled humorlessly to himself. "To defeat him, the strongest sacrificed the other two. And in the end, the only way to defeat Aizen was to tear him apart…"

"I think I've said too much," Kira drawled, looking toward Shunsui with a frown. "But to answer your question, every Master who opposed the strongest three was torn apart, limb from limb, into 666 pieces. The pieces were scattered all across the world. The soul was trapped in a separate place, a prison called Carcer. And every Master who has ever walked this Earth is trying to put themselves back together again."

"I can walk around freely because I have already collected all of my pieces." Kira said with click of his tongue. "I'm complete."

"You were on Aizen's side?" Renji asked.

"No," Kira shook his head. "God, no."

"Then why was your body scattered?" Shunsui asked.

"At the end," Kira said slowly. "There was no control. There was no way to target certain bodies and not others. It was an all-out massacre."

"That's horrible." Jushiro breathed out.

"It's our life." Kira said with a shrug.

"Who are the strongest three?" Shunsui asked, looking at the map with interest. "Do you know where they are?"

"Ha-ha." Kira scoffed, shaking his head in absolute refusal. "You're insane."

"You're afraid of them?" Shunsui asked, his eyes burning into Kira's.

"Yes." Kira said unabashedly. "I am."

"How did you get your body back?" Byakuya asked.

"By killing a lot of people." Kira responded. "Lots and lots of people."

The group was silent for a few excruciating seconds. "But I've gotten past that stage in my life. I'm not nearly as angry as I used to be." Kira muttered. "And I swore a long time ago that I wasn't going to be who they thought I was."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"The world." Kira said simply. "The world called me a monster. The world feared me, hated me, wanted me dead… I don't have to be that person. I made some mistakes, sure, but I'm sorry for them."

"Even as shifters you've killed." Kira pointed out. "Even as men you've killed. There is no difference between us, we all make mistakes."

"Are there any others like you?" Shunsui asked. "Masters that have their bodies, I mean?"

"One other, maybe two. No, no, just one." Kira answered. "But you'll never find him." Kira smiled mischievously. "He has given up on both monsters and humanity and lives as a hermit in the mountains."

"Which mountains?" Shunsui pressed.

"All the mountains." Kira replied enigmatically. "But it doesn't concern you. He's not a danger to any of you."

* * *

"Starrk. Starrk, wake up."

Coyote groaned, hugging the blankets tightly. He shook his head, smacking his slobbery lips together sleepily. "Huh?"

"Get up." Ginjo snapped, clicking his tongue impatiently.

"Who are you?" Coyote asked, eyeing Ginjo disparagingly. "You look familiar but I just can't place your fucking ugly face."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ginjo hissed. "We look alike."

"Don't be so mean." Coyote groaned, covering his head with the blankets. "I'm going back to bed until you can speak to me properly…"

" _Vicomte_ Starrk!" Ginjo growled. "The Master requests your presence…"

"Ah, yes, thank you, peasant." Coyote teased, sitting up and sliding off the bed. "That will be all."

"You're gonna die young." Ginjo sighed, shaking his head.

"Doubt it." Coyote said, walking backward toward the door. "I'll live to at least 117."

"A tortoise could live longer." Ginjo retorted.

"Well, I'm a man." Coyote argued. "And I have no desire to be a tortoise or a vampire for that matter…"

"Hurry." Ginjo muttered. "I took my time to wake you up. He's not going to be pleased it took you so long."

" _Who_ are _you_?" Coyote groaned. "You're just such an ass. Why am I stuck with a pig swiver like you?"

"Tick tock. Tick tock…" Ginjo taunted.

Coyote ran down the narrow stairs quickly, his broad shoulders scraping the walls. He hurried to the end of the hall and knocked on the door. He took a deep breath, smoothing down his hair and his clothes. "Come in."

"Master," Coyote said, stepping into the humid room.

"Coyote, sit." Aizen ordered quietly, gesturing to his lap. Coyote crossed the floor, his eyes diverted away from the bed. He sat across Aizen's thighs, adjusting awkwardly. Aizen sighed, placing his head against Coyote's back. Coyote was stunned, his mind and body nearly paralyzed by the shock of such an innocent gesture. "Don't move," Aizen ordered, his grip tightening around Coyote.

"Yes, Master." Coyote breathed out. Aizen's warmth enveloped him and the humidity in the room seemed to intensify. They sat in silence for only a moment longer before Aizen revived.

"You need to be here." Aizen said simply.

"Yes, Master." Coyote replied obediently.

"Do you know what I'm doing?" Aizen asked, placing his hand on Coyote's cheek. He pushed against Coyote's face, directing his view toward the bed. "Look and then tell me."

"I," Coyote swallowed thickly. He tried not to look at the bed, but he still caught glimpses of her small frame.

"Look." Aizen ordered.

Coyote gave in, looking toward the bed and at the petite vampire sleeping within in. Coyote exhaled shakily, for some reason his attention completely focused on the small but numerous cuts on Rukia's hands. "I don't know what you're doing."

"I have a plan." Aizen whispered, his lips curving against Coyote's skin. "Everything I do has a purpose."

"You should just kill her." Coyote muttered. "There's no purpose to doing this to her."

"You're wrong." Aizen said, clicking his tongue. "No matter how many times I have you, your body will always be barren…"

"Of course!" Coyote exclaimed, shaking. "What the fuck do you think will happen? I'm male!"

"And all my shifters have been male…" Aizen continued, unperturbed by Coyote's outburst. "And all the Masters are male…" Aizen licked his lips slowly. "Something so simple and basic is withheld from us."

"Why am I here?" Coyote asked.

"You need constant supervision." Aizen replied.

"Tsukishima and Ginjo don't let me do anything." Coyote argued. "I'm pretty well supervised."

"But you don't like them." Aizen murmured, kissing the back of Coyote's neck.

"And if I said that I didn't like you either…?" Coyote mused.

"I'd make you regret it." Aizen replied with a wicked smile. "Coyote?"

"Yes, Master." Coyote mumbled.

"Take her and bathe her." Aizen instructed. "And perhaps find some perfume. The stench of her death makes me sick to my stomach… Vampires are truly disgusting."

"Why'd you attack that Master?" Coyote asked, surveying Rukia's unconscious body. "Why did you bring those vampires along?"

"I'm feeling generous today," Aizen said. "So I'll answer one of your questions. I want to see what Wabisuke does next."

"You're not friends with the other Masters?" Coyote questioned.

Aizen bit down on Coyote's neck, leaving a bloodied imprint. "Of course not."


	26. Artwork

**_Part XXVI: Artwork_**

"Hey."

Rukia stirred slightly, her clothes twisted haphazardly across her body.

"Hey. You awake?"

"Hmmm…" Rukia moaned, covering her face with a slender hand.

"It'll be okay…"

"Ow!" Rukia hissed, pressing against the broad arms that lifted her from the bed. "Put me down."

"Shhhh! Be quiet. Be silent…"

Rukia opened her eyes weakly. Ginjo came into focus and she nearly growled in surprise. "What are you-?"

"You can blame your brother, since he's the one who turned me…" Ginjo breathed, walking toward the window. He paused, the wood creaking beneath his boots.

"What?" Rukia questioned, her eyes narrowed.

Ginjo slipped out the open window, rather awkwardly between his large size and Rukia's position in his arms. He dropped to the ground with a thud, the impact shooting up his skeleton. He ignored the tingling sensation and darted out from the open space. He began to slink through the shadows of the buildings, Rukia held tightly against his chest.

Ginjo crept into a large barn. The sweet scent of grain and alfalfa filled her tired lungs. "Are you going to kill me?" Rukia asked, looking up at Ginjo with large, saucer-like eyes.

"No." Ginjo breathed, shaking his head ashamedly. He lowered Rukia to the ground, hesitant to release his hold on the weakened vampire. "Go."

"Go?" Rukia asked, staggering on her feet. "Where's Tsukishima and Coyote?"

"Coyote is with the Master." Ginjo whispered. "And Tsukishima is keeping watch…"

"I don't understand." Rukia murmured, her entire body aching. She coughed into her sleeve, red blood spraying across the soiled cloth.

"I'm trying to save you." Ginjo groaned. "Don't fuck it up. Go. Go now!"

"I can't…" Rukia refused shaking her head.

"I order you." Ginjo barked, pushing Rukia away from him. But Rukia had no strength; she collapsed to the dusty, hay-strewn ground. Ginjo cursed, kneeling beside the petite vampire in concern.

"I cannot." Rukia repeated, her knuckles turning white as she attempted to sit up. "No matter who orders me, I cannot move."

"You're a vampire." Ginjo murmured. "This is nothing…"

"I'm too wounded." Rukia confessed, grabbing Ginjo's wrist with her tiny hand. "I'm damaged internally, my lungs, my stomach…"

"The Mas-, Aizen, he won't let you go." Ginjo explained gently. "He thinks he can use you…"

"He thinks I can bear his children…" Rukia growled, her cheeks heating with anger.

"Which is insane." Ginjo exhaled, shaking his head for emphasis.

"Kill me." Rukia requested. "I can't run and I can't stand this any longer."

"You must run." Ginjo snapped. "I won't have one of my own kind subjected this way."

"What would happen to you if I were to leave? If I even could leave?" Rukia questioned.

"Run." Ginjo ordered, standing over Rukia imposingly. "Run until you die. Then get up and run some more."

"Master Ginjo!" Rukia called after him, her eyes wide with desperation. "Don't leave me here…"

"Run." Ginjo continued. "And don't look back."

"I can't!" Rukia screamed. "Don't leave me here!" Rukia beat her small fists against the hard ground. "I don't want to die in the mud like a pig!"

"A Countess to the end…" Ginjo drawled, laughing loudly. "Goodbye, Rukia."

"Kugo! Kugo, please!" Rukia pleaded, unable to even pull herself to her knees. She collapsed forward, a coughing fit wracking her slender body. Blood sprayed the dirt, dripping down her chin sickly.

"Rukia, darling," Ginjo drawled, casting one last look over his shoulder. "You either get up and run or you die trying."

Ginjo's stomach twisted as he kicked a vat of oil over. He pulled a matchstick from his pocket, striking it against his own clawed fingernails. He tossed the match, the oil catching fire in an instant. He walked away from the barn, ignoring the haunted screams that followed him.

Ginjo had just made it to the top floor of the inn when the chaos in the town reached them. Ginjo entered the apartment, watching with detachment as Coyote hurried to dress. He smelled so strongly of sex and blood, almost all the time, that Ginjo wondered how humans didn't liquesce at his very presence.

"I'm so fucking sick of fires." Coyote snapped, lacing his boots hurriedly.

"Where are you going?" Ginjo asked, praying that the scent of oil and sulfur was not on him.

"To put it out." Coyote muttered, snapping his gloves into place.

Aizen emerged from his private quarters, he scanned the room silently, his eyes settling on Coyote. Ginjo licked his lips nervously; it was only a matter of time before Aizen realized the bed was empty.

"Where is Ru-" Coyote began, his eyes wide. But as soon as the first words escaped his lips he realized his own mistake. He halted immediately, nearly biting his tongue to silence himself. "Where is water?" Coyote attempted to save. "Where is running water?"

"There's a well in the town square." Tsukishima offered, unfolding his arms and kicking off from the wall. "Do you mind, Master? It might seem suspicious if three able-bodied men don't help put out the fire…"

"You may go and put it out." Aizen allowed. "But wash your hair afterward. I can't stand when your hair smells like smoke."

"Yes, Sir." Coyote said with a nod.

The three shifters walked stiffly to the door. Each man was anxious, unable to relax with their backs turned to their Master. Coyote stepped out first, nearly leaping down the staircase to the bottom. Ginjo followed closely, knocking into Coyote at the landing.

As soon as Tsukishima had stepped out of the inn Coyote turned to them with a wild look in his eyes. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Ginjo asked, grabbing a bucket and walking toward the well.

"You know damn well who I mean!" Coyote growled, taking a pail that was handed to him.

"I'm afraid I don't." Ginjo breathed, winking at Coyote infuriatingly.

"Tell me where she is." Coyote demanded, grabbing Ginjo by the shoulders roughly.

"We can't trust you." Tsukishima said simply, his hooded eyes blinking as he spoke.

"That's ludicrous!" Coyote snapped.

"Is it?" Ginjo drawled. "'Cause if I remember correctly, the Master can share your body…"

"That's… that's different. I am in control of myself right now…" Coyote croaked.

"Maybe, maybe not." Ginjo retorted. "Can't risk it."

"That's not fair!" Coyote shouted.

"Shhhhh!" Ginjo hissed, covering Coyote's mouth with his hand. "Silence."

"It's not personal." Tsukishima added. "It's just safer if we don't include you."

"You're a double agent." Ginjo accused. "And you don't even know it."

"I'll kill you all." Coyote breathed out.

"That's what we're afraid of." Ginjo sighed.

It took over an hour to put the fire out. The three shifters returned back to the inn. They were smoky and grimy and they fought over who would be the first to bathe. Tsukishima won in the end, his enormous stature playing to his benefit. Ginjo and Coyote sat in silence until he emerged. "I'm heading to the market. I'll be back."

"I'm showering next." Coyote insisted, digging his nails into Ginjo's hand as the other tried to stand up. "The Master will need me before he needs you."

But it wasn't long before Ginjo was banging on the bathroom door, demanding Coyote hurry up. "Alright! Alright! _Le Crétin_ …" Coyote mumbled as he stood, the bath water rushing down his muscled body.

He dressed distractedly before sitting on Rukia's bed. Where was she? How long could he afford not to report her missing? Had she escaped? If she had, how far away was she now? Coyote was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the other two men return to the room.

"No one was inside." Tsukishima murmured, sitting a block of aged cheese on the table.

"There… there were no remains? Or traces…?" Ginjo asked, chewing at his nails worriedly.

Coyote ignored the conversation, busying himself with the cheese spread instead. He sliced the cheese expertly, placing it on the dark wheat cracker and topping it with a pretty purple grape. He stuffed his mouth, purposefully chewing rudely.

"If anyone was in there when the fire started," Tsukishima elucidated, eyeing Coyote distrustfully. "They moved on before the fire consumed them."

"This cheese isn't bad." Coyote thought aloud. He made himself another cracker.

"That's good…" Ginjo murmured, nodding his head heavily. "I'm glad no one was hurt."

"The grapes are a little sour." Coyote conceded with a shrug.

"The townsfolk think the fire was set on purpose." Tsukishima continued, locking eyes with Ginjo. "Seems that was where they held their winter stores."

"Spring is nearly here." Ginjo snapped. "They'll survive."

"Bleached bread is a definite luxury of the upper class." Coyote sighed, picking at the course cracker with disappointment. "I can remember eating white bread at a castle when I was little… It was divine…"

"It means we shouldn't linger here." Tsukishima sighed. "They've been agitated."

"Let them be agitated!" Ginjo growled. "Useless worms, crawling the earth blindly…"

"Alright!" Coyote snapped banging his fist on the table in annoyance. "Stop ignoring me! Are you going to eat or what?"

"I've just eaten." Tsukishima replied, dabbing at his lips.

"I'm going to the market." Ginjo sighed, standing up.

"You two are unbearable." Coyote snarled.

"Vicomte, _sweetheart_ ," Ginjo drawled, his mouth held tight. "We cannot eat with you, unless you intend to help us hunt…" Ginjo walked to the door, his boots pounding against the floor. "We must drink blood. No amount of cheese or grapes will satisfy our hunger."

* * *

"I caution you all against becoming comfortable." Byakuya chastised, surveying the scene with an expressionless face.

Orihime tilted her head to the side in confusion, mid-splash. Ichigo lowered his hands in embarrassment and Renji took the opportunity to send a wave crashing over Ichigo's head. Ichigo gasped, the cold river water making his skin prickle. "Ren-ji!"

"Ah-ha-ha!" Renji cackled evilly, knocking his fist against Orihime's in triumph. "We did it!"

"We'll be leaving soon." Byakuya reminded them gently. "It's a long walk to the next village. And beyond that, who knows…"

"Save yer energy, ya youngins'!" Kira teased, shaking his fist in the air. Orihime laughed delightfully, her cheeks round and handsome. She swam toward the bank of the river, looking up at Kira with her whole attention. Kira noticed and kneeled beside the river. He reached out and pat her head, as if she were a puppy rather than a little girl. "Our three little ginger darlings…" Kira drawled, looking at Renji and Ichigo in turn. "Our good luck charms."

"Ginger hair is not good luck!" Orihime insisted, a lifetime of teasing welling up inside of her.

"Ridiculous." Kira said simply, his eyes narrowed. "Rubbing the head of a ginger brings good luck. Are you saying you've never rubbed your own head?" Kira stood, shaking his head for dramatic effect. "I have no reason to lie. You really are lucky."

"Lucky people even talk to us…" Ichigo murmured and Renji nodded in agreement.

"I've always liked ginger hair." Byakuya mused absently, situating himself on a low-lying tree branch. "But I am rather partial to the color red. Nothing is more beautiful than splashes of red in snow…"

"I disagree." Kira said simply. "I think the most beautiful thing I've ever seen is still the ocean." Kira sighed heavily. "Not the icy waters of the Atlantic, but the see-through blue of the, uh, I believe you call it the New World…"

"What about the Mediterranean? Come on… Is anything more beautiful?" Ichigo interjected.

"I miss Coyote." Orihime said suddenly.

Shunsui and Jushiro exchanged a look. Shunsui looked away first and Jushiro stood up with a reluctant sigh. "Soon. We'll see him soon."

"How soon?" Orihime pressed.

"I don't know." Jushiro admitted. "There was a bit of trouble. Aizen is stronger right now. And Coyote thinks he's helping us by going off on his own…"

"But what about Coyote?" Orihime asked. "Isn't he afraid of Aizen too?"

"Well…" Jushiro trailed off.

"Of course not." Ichigo replied with a humorless smirk. "He hates the Master, but he isn't afraid of him. Coyote will be fine." Ichigo pulled Orihime's hair for good measure. "You'll see him soon."

"Ouch! That hurt!" Orihime cried out, holding her head. "You dirty skink!"

"I'm not a skink!" Ichigo growled, his face contorting into a playfully frightening mask.

Orihime screamed as Ichigo leapt after her. Orihime couldn't swim very fast and Ichigo caught her in an instant, tossing her up into the air and catching her in his warm, muscled arms. "No! No! Don't eat me!"

"You like kids, huh?" Renji asked. Byakuya realized he was smiling and immediately his face fell. He eyed Renji as if he was deeply offended by the comment. Renji laughed, shaking his wet hair from side to side. He tilted his head, draining the water from his ear. "You had kids right?"

"Boys." Byakuya confirmed with a nod. "Girls are entirely different. They're hardly even the same animal."

"I don't think we can have kids." Renji wondered aloud. "I mean, no one ever has."

"What then is Orihime?" Byakuya asked, arching a brow.

"She's not theirs…" Renji groaned.

"What a terrible thing to say." Byakuya scolded halfheartedly. "Does she not feel that with them is where she belongs?"

"I meant by blood." Renji muttered, his cheeks heating.

"Blood means nothing." Byakuya said firmly. "I've tasted blood from every sort of person and not once has the blood called to another's. Blood has no connection, beyond all humans have it."

"Okay, I don't think our kind can _bear_ children…" Renji corrected. "Your kids. Are they-?"

"Before you ask a question you should always ask yourself: am I willing to die for this answer? If your answer is no, you shouldn't ask…" Byakuya whispered.

"Point taken." Renji replied.

"It's decided then." Kira said suddenly, brushing his clothes off.

"What's decided?" Renji asked, shaking his head. "I wasn't aware we were even talking."

"We're moving out in three days." Kira explained. "Rest well between now and then. Because I'm sure Shunsui plans on walking us to our deaths."

"I hate digging." Shunsui teased. "You only need to worry if I start making you dig holes."

* * *

"Tell us what we can expect." Jushiro suggested, patting his hand gently against Orihime's back as she slept. Her face was upturned, heavy against his chest, her breath fanning across his skin comfortingly.

"We can expect at least one death and probably a few permanent maimings." Kira said dryly, his pipe held loosely between his teeth.

"Be serious." Jushiro huffed.

"I am." Kira retorted.

"The humans are the weakest." Byakuya said matter-of-factly. "But Jushiro's fighting style is well above his own kind's. Orihime is a liability…"

"She serves a purpose." Shunsui interjected. "She can find wolfstraps."

"Which I argue is the main purpose of our fellowship." Renji explained. "I joined to save shifters. One day, every Master will come back for their wolfstraps. Some wolfstraps are things like femurs or eyeballs, and others, others are hearts and spines…" Renji felt strange with Byakuya and Kira's attention solely on him. "It's a horrible way to die. But it's just the fate of a shifter."

"Your wolfstraps have been removed." Kira said with a click of his tongue. "Well, mostly…"

"We removed the wolfstrap and implanted some of those strange black tendrils." Ichigo explained.

"What a stupid idea." Kira groaned, tapping the mouthpiece of his pipe against his palm. "That's like throwing out the artwork but keeping the glue on your wall."

"It was my heart." Ichigo snapped. "I can't exactly live if Ulquiorra comes back for that. Can I?"

"You're one of them." Renji said dismissively. "You wouldn't understand."

"And it's hardly 'artwork'…" Ichigo growled.

"Now, now, gentlemen," Kira drawled. "Don't bully me."

"This Master," Byakuya changed subjects with ease. "What is he like?"

"He's big." Kira explained. "He's stupid and he's mean."

"His abilities…?" Byakuya pressed.

"Many." Kira sighed. "But his most troubling is his ability to reach an incredible size…" Kira gestured widely with his arms. "And his ability to manipulate iron."

"What size are we talking about?" Renji asked, eyeing Kira. "I grow up to 13 feet tall when I transform."

"Bigger." Kira answered simply. "Much bigger."

"What do you mean by manipulate iron?" Jushiro asked, his green eyes narrowed in confusion. "You don't mean a sword, do you?"

"No." Kira shook his head. "Certain Masters have unique abilities. Mostly just the strong three, but others have been able to master the ability to control minerals and earth metals."

"That's troubling." Shunsui exhaled, his hair shooting from around his face.

"You think?" Kira asked, rolling his eyes hard.

"But otherwise, you are equally matched?" Byakuya asked quietly.

"Besides the most obvious and most difficult to overcome things, yes, I suppose we are matched evenly." Kira groaned.

"You picked him." Shunsui said unapologetically. "Remember?"

"This mess isn't my fault, _Shun-su-i_ …" Kira barked, his eyes darkening. "If you want confident and sprightly, I'm not the Master for you…"

"Do Masters swordfight?" Jushiro asked.

"Only five or so." Kira replied. "He isn't one of them."

"Can you swordfight?" Byakuya asked, eyeing Kira heavily.

Kira smiled humorlessly, shrugging crudely. "Nope." Kira placed his hookah down between his feet. "Sorry to disappoint you, Vampire Swordsman."

"My skills lie with the sword." Byakuya admitted. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to fight a magical beast. Please, do tell…"

"The secret to killing a Master is not to stop." Kira explained. "When you have them down, that's when you need to double your efforts. Grind them into the Earth until they return to stardust."

"I've fought a few Masters in my day." Ichigo murmured. "It's always brutal, but I think we've got a good group."

Kira opened his mouth, preparing a biting response about the Council, but he hesitated, shaking his head and closing his mouth. He shared a guilty look with Shunsui before shuddering. He reached for his hookah again, settling it between his legs. "We'll win."

"We will." Kira insisted. "We're out of shape, out of practice…" Kira nodded toward Shunsui pointedly. "I haven't fought for nearly three hundred years…" Kira puffed out a large circle of smoke. "But we're stronger and there's more of us. It won't be pretty, but we will win."


	27. Non-Hostile

**This chapter is lovingly dedicated to Coraz. You are such a supportive reader. I wish you luck on your test. You've got this! Please enjoy the chapter. I hope it can entertain you a bit before your exams. xoxo**

* * *

 ** _Part XXVIII: Non-Hostile_**

Shunsui paused, his hand fluttering to the small of Jushiro's back. He held his breath, his ears straining. Something was in the wood. Jushiro turned, surprised to see Shunsui's expression. He snapped his fingers loudly, Orihime rushing back to his side.

Byakuya murmured, his hand wrapping around Renji's wrist. Renji's smile faltered and he nodded toward Ichigo. Ichigo disappeared in an instant, the tree branches suddenly rattling above their heads.

Kira alone seemed unbothered. He groaned, leaning against the trunk of a tree in exhaustion. He waved his hand lazily, his pipe materializing in the air. He began to smoke, ignoring the incredulous look from the rest of the group. He puffed quickly, his blue eyes dilating visibly.

"Kira." Shunsui growled, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Byakuya," Kira said, ignoring Shunsui. "What do you think? Is something there?"

"Yes." Byakuya replied, nodding. He turned slightly, dropping down to a squat. "It's strong but moving slowly."

"Good, good." Kira gushed indulgently. He turned to Shunsui, narrowing his eyes. "How about you? Do you sense anything?"

"I heard something." Shunsui whispered heatedly. "That's why I stopped."

"Renji? Jushiro?" Kira asked, shaking his head doubtfully. "Do you sense anything yet?"

"No." Renji admitted with embarrassment.

"Don't feel bad." Kira insisted, pushing off from the tree trunk. "He's incredibly talented at concealment." Kira tossed the hair from his face. "And he's not slow, he's trailing us."

"You know who it is?" Jushiro asked, looking around the forest.

"Let's continue." Kira said, flashing Jushiro a peculiar smile. "I don't want to make anything easier for him."

"Who is it?" Renji asked. "A Master?"

"Let's continue." Kira repeated, waving his hookah into nonexistence. "He's not here for you. It's my private business."

Ichigo returned an hour later. He appeared suddenly, dropping down between Byakuya and Renji unexpectedly. Renji jumped, punching Ichigo twice in the shoulder. "You ass. Don't do that."

"Sorry, sorry…" Ichigo said with a laugh. "I didn't think I could sneak up on you."

"It's because you were downwind!" Renji insisted, frowning.

"And it probably has something to do with Renji's overpowering stench." Shunsui added.

"I don't smell!" Renji snapped. "I told you guys to knock off it! It's pheromones. I can't help it! It's the monk-"

"Monkey butt." Ichigo finished. "Yeah, we know."

"I'm gonna beat you to death." Renji threatened, baring fangs. "Shuddup."

"Alright. I'm sorry…" Ichigo drawled.

"Let's focus." Byakuya barked. "What did you find?"

"It's a non-hostile." Ichigo said, looking at Byakuya blankly.

"Ha." Kira laughed humorlessly.

"He works alongside the Council." Ichigo explained. "He's just keeping an eye on Kira."

"What did you tell him?" Byakuya asked, stopping abruptly.

"About what?"

"In regards to Kira." Byakuya clarified. "If you spoke to him, why is he still trailing us?"

"It's his duty."

"According to whom?" Byakuya asked, his grey eyes sparkling in his sunken sockets.

"What? The Council…" Ichigo shook his head in confusion.

"I have concerns." Byakuya said simply. "I don't like being followed."

"He's not following you, he's…"

"He's following the Master that I have joined up with."

"Well…"

"We will wait." Byakuya ordered, stomping his boot into the earth forcefully. "I will not move until I meet them."

"I already talked to him…" Ichigo whispered, mortified.

"And you are not me." Byakuya growled.

"Don't get so riled up." Kira drawled. "Not over little ol' me." Kira placed a slender hand against Byakuya's shoulder. "Besides, he's strong enough to kill all of us at once."

"I don't intend to fight unnecessarily." Byakuya assured him. "I simply wish to speak to the person following us. And I won't move from this spot until I am convinced he means our party no harm."

"Go get him." Shunsui ordered, meeting Ichigo's gaze. "We don't have time to waste standing around."

"Well, if we're here for a moment," Jushiro sighed, dropping his heavy pack to the ground. "I'll get lunch started."

"Hurry, Ichigo." Shunsui called after the shifter. "We're losing daylight."

"That wasn't necessary." Kira murmured, suddenly very interested in the birds high in the forest canopy.

"I want pasta." Orihime exclaimed. "Pasta!"

"We don't have any pasta." Jushiro sighed, patting her head apologetically. "We can have stew."

"I don't want stew…" Orihime groaned, sinking to the ground in disappointment.

"Nobody wants stew." Jushiro mumbled. "I could live the rest of my life without eating it myself… but that is what is easiest to make, so that is what we eat."

"I want eggs." Renji said, scratching his stomach. "Four or five fried eggs with some bread and oil. Yes."

"I want pasta with tomatoes fresh off the vine…" Orihime sighed, her mouthwatering.

"Mućkalica…" Byakuya said, his voice almost lewd. "If I could only enjoy human food…"

"Natto." Shunsui said, sitting down and crossing his legs like a child. He sighed, covering his face. "I would kill a man for some natto."

"What I miss the most is gyoza." Jushiro added. "And festival food. And festivals in general."

"Now I really don't want stew." Orihime said, her hands on her stomach.

"Stew or death." Jushiro grumbled.

"Well," Kira said softly. "That's not completely true…"

"I can make stew or you can eat some of these hard biscuits…" Jushiro explained, opening his bag and showing Orihime her options.

"That's not what I meant." Kira drawled. "Orihime, close your eyes and count to three."

Orihime hesitated for only a moment before obeying. "One… two… three…"

Before Orihime opened her eyes the smell hit her. It was delightful. She opened her eyes and squealed in excitement. She took the plate of noodles and vinegar tomatoes. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Wait!" Jushiro yelled, grabbing the plate. He spun away from Orihime, inspecting the food critically. "Is this safe? Can she eat this?"

Kira's mouth quivered, as if he had an unstoppable twitch. Finally he smiled and nodded. "It's completely edible."

"Give it back, mountain troll!" Orihime hissed, tugging at Jushiro's sleeves. "It's mine!"

"You should be more cautious, child." Jushiro scolded. "Don't play with magic."

"Let her have it." Shunsui whispered, his hand brushing against Jushiro's. "It's fine."

Orihime sat on the ground eating happily. The others stood around awkwardly. Jushiro didn't speak and Kira didn't summon any more food.

"I'm back." Ichigo announced, walking through the trees with a wave. "Let me introduce Toshiro Hitsugaya, an ally of the Council of Elders."

"Wabisuke." Toshiro said, licking his lips as he looked Kira up and down.

"Hel-lo." Kira said with a saccharine smile. "It's been a while."

"Toshiro," Ichigo gestured to the others. "Shunsui, Ukitake-san, Orihime, Renji, and Byakuya."

Toshiro stared at Shunsui for a long while, his features blank and unreadable. "What an odd assortment of friends."

"I don't know about friends," Shunsui interjected. "But we share a common goal."

"He's lying." Kira drawled. "We're best friends. All of us."

"He's just shy." Byakuya added, his nose upturned in the air. Byakuya eyed the small statured man and licked his lips. "Why are you following us?"

"Wab-, Kira is out of his zone." Toshiro explained, looking at Kira as he spoke. "You're getting awfully close to Cero."

"Is he not allowed to travel?" Byakuya asked, earning him a rather offended look from Toshiro.

Toshiro looked to Kira and Kira grinned openly. "Shifters and Vampires. They've no respect for authority."

Toshiro shrugged, opening his mouth to respond. His words were cut off as Orihime erupted into a high-pitched squeal. "It's a boy!" Orihime screamed, jumping up and letting her plate crash to the ground. She approached Toshiro, flinging her arm over his shoulder with a smile. "Let's play knucklebones!"

"Ori-hi-me!" Jushiro gasped, covering his mouth in shock.

Kira sputtered loudly, a whole-hearted laugh escaping his lips. He doubled over, holding his stomach as moisture collected in the corner of his eyes. "Anything, Orihime. Name anything you want and it's yours, sweetheart."

"I'm not a child." Toshiro said calmly, stepping out from under the young girl's arm. "I'm not here to play with you."

"Oh, yes, of course." Orihime nodded her head pointedly. "Me too."

"No, I mean it." Toshiro groaned, his hands twitching at his sides. "I'm just small."

"Think about what you want," Kira whispered, winking at Orihime. "You've earned it."

"Why?" Orihime asked, smiling in confusion. "What'd I do?"

"My name is Toshiro Hitsugaya." Toshiro said, collecting himself quickly. "I was sent by the Council to investigate your movement." Toshiro walked toward Kira, offering his hand for a polite shake. Toshiro eyed Shunsui again before clearing his throat. "Since the charter was written, you've never received a demerit."

"I've been a good boy." Kira teased.

"You're registered to zone twelve." Toshiro continued, standing beside Kira without aggression. "Why are you so far from home?"

"You don't know already?" Kira scoffed in disbelief. "My home was burned down, killing all of my shifters."

"I know about that." Toshiro sighed. "And I'm very sorry." Toshiro frowned, his brows knit together thoughtfully. "I guess I phrased that incorrectly. Where are you going?"

"I have a full year to report to the Council." Kira replied. "I don't have to tell the Council anything right now."

"I'm asking then." Toshiro said gruffly, his voice surprisingly rough for his petite size. "You know where you're headed, right?"

"Yes." Kira said simply.

"Why?"

"To-shir-o." Kira nearly sang. "I don't have to answer that."

"It's not a good idea…" Toshiro warned.

"Why? Because it looks suspicious for one Master to be near another?" Kira growled. "One might argue that Xibalbans are social creatures and it is inhumane to isolate and oppress…"

"Knock it off." Toshiro groaned. "I'm sorry you lost your shifters. I know you. I know you worked hard there. That town loved you. You did good there."

"Stop." Kira whispered, his voice sending a shiver down several spines. "I don't want your praise. I want your absence. Leave me be."

"Zone seventeen is hostile." Toshiro explained. "Cero-"

"We're going to kill him." Kira exploded suddenly, his eyes widening manically.

"Me and these shifters," Kira began to rant, gesturing around at the others in turn. "These two humans will help too. I'm sure you won't like that idea. And then there's this Vampire. He's agreed to help us too…"

"Why him?" Toshiro asked, his voice calm and even. "There are less dangerous…"

"Because he's fucking strong." Kira explained with a shrug. "But he's not special." Kira bit down on his lip sharply, blood spilling down his chin. "I'm not special. I can't take out Kyoka or Ulquiorra… but I can do something…"

"Why you?" Toshiro asked. "There are other people to do this."

"Because Shunsui Kyoraku strolled into my little town." Kira moaned, his hands suddenly gripping into Shunsui's broad shoulders. "It was destiny…" Kira drawled out the word like a curse. He shared a look with Toshiro before looking away. "We never won the war. We're still fighting. And I am so tired of waiting for our fearless leaders to protect us…"

"You can't kill him." Toshiro said quietly, his large, bright eyes downcast. "Not without Tenken. And Tenken won't help, I've tried…"

"Tenken is loyal to one." Kira said simply. "And you're not him."

"You understand then, you can't kill a Master." Toshiro pressed.

"There's still a way." Kira insisted. "You're forgetting what I have."

"You don't mean…"

"Excuse me," Byakuya interrupted sheepishly. "I am entirely lost and exceptionally curious…"

"My apologies, Vampire." Kira replied. "I forgot myself for a moment." Kira pushed his hand roughly against the back of Toshiro's head. "Remember our audience."

"We'll speak later." Toshiro conceded, looking around at the others nervously. Once more his gaze paused over Shunsui. "Please explain your plan. I'll just listen, I swear."

"Alright," Kira drawled, his smile reappearing. "Come closer, children. It's story time once again…"

* * *

Rukia inhaled sharply, her legs weakening at the knees. She collapsed, falling forward onto her hands. She let out an angry sob, frustrated with her body, frustrated with her failures. She beat her fist against the hard earth and shouted at the top of her lungs.

And then she pulled herself together. So it hurt to breathe. She didn't need to breathe. She would remember, eventually, not to do it. She climbed to her feet slowly, leaning heavily against the fence beside her. The most important thing was to get blood, and soon.

She coughed, black blood spraying her hand. Two days ago she knew she was going to die, but today, right now, she believed that she might be getting better. She was coughing less, at least.

"Hey." Rukia hissed, her head snapping to attention. She narrowed her eyes, searching the trees for the man who spoke. "Heh. Sorry, Lady Fangs, I didn't mean to scare ya…"

Rukia swallowed thickly, her chin held tight. "Come out. I know exactly where you are. There's no reason to hide."

"Yeah?" the man taunted. "Then where am I?"

"In the trees." Rukia answered, her hand resting on her hip, her sickness momentarily forgotten.

"You got me." The man said with a throaty chuckle. Rukia open her mouth in a silent gasp as the man dropped to the ground directly behind her. She spun around, her violet eyes wide with panic. "I don't think ya really knew where I was though."

"What do you want?" Rukia demanded, eyeing the stranger with derision.

"Nothing." The man admitted with a shrug. "I smelt the Master and became curious." The man smirked from ear to ear. "I wasn't expecting to find a precious, little girl bloodsucker though…"

"You mean Aizen?" Rukia asked, her voice softening.

"You're from the Coven aren't ya?" the man asked, nodding in response to Rukia's question.

"You were with Bya-" She cut herself off, looking down at her hands.

"And you're the bitch that fucked him over, huh?"

"I am a _Countess_." Rukia snapped, her hand curling into a fist. "Call me a bitch again and you will no longer be able to call yourself a man."

"Calm down, Lady Fangs." The man groaned.

"My name is Rukia." Rukia said with a short huff. "And you are?"

"Grimmjow."

"Why are you following me, Grimmjow?" Rukia demanded, beginning to walk away.

"I already told ya." Grimmjow explained. "I smelt the Master and I got curious."

"You and Aizen…" Rukia questioned. "You're friends?"

"Ha ha ha." Grimmjow snapped humorlessly. "The last time he saw me, he ripped about six meters of intestine out through my abdominal wall."

"Then you're not friends." Rukia realized with relief. "Good."

"So what is a lady vampire doing all the way out here, and all alone no less...?" Grimmjow asked.

"I'm running away." Rukia answered, quickening her pace.

"From who?" Grimmjow asked, licking his teeth as he followed behind the vampire.

"Aizen." Rukia replied curtly. "Now jog off."

"Oh, well, if you're trying to avoid Aizen," Grimmjow began slowly. "I wouldn't go that way."

"What? Why?" Rukia's large eyes widened.

"Because he's that way." Grimmjow said matter-of-factly, his arms folding across his muscled chest.

"No he isn't." Rukia exclaimed. "I've just left him, two days past. I've been walking north this whole time…"

"Nuh uh." Grimmjow jogged to head Rukia off. He stopped in front of her, blocking her path. "You're headed south."

"No I'm not." Rukia argued. "I've been walking the same direction. I haven't deviated…" Grimmjow merely smiled. Rukia sighed, frustration welling up inside of her again. "Why do you think I'm headed south?"

"Because Polaris is behind us." Grimmjow replied with an apologetic smile.

"I swear it…" Rukia groaned. "I haven't changed course."

"I'd like to tease you," Grimmjow admitted. "And call you a helpless, little Countess, but I'll just be frank. It's Aizen."

"What do you mean?" Rukia murmured.

"Aizen is trying to draw you back." Grimmjow explained. "In your weakened state you're making it easy for him too."

"I…" Rukia dropped to a squat, her hands over her head. "What do I do now? After the risk Master Ginjo took…"

"I don't give a shit about Ginjo, even if we do share a Master…" Grimmjow spat. "But I'm partial to Coyote. You were with him, right? And he's partial to little girls…"

"I'm not a little girl." Rukia protested.

"Yeah, you are." Grimmjow argued. "You're just a baby." Grimmjow sighed, kicking his feet out. "I'll take pity on you."

"I don't need your pity." Rukia insisted, looking up at Grimmjow with a defiant look.

"I like that look. Keep that look." Grimmjow nodded, bouncing from one foot to the other. "Get up. We're leaving."

"Where?" Rukia asked.

"You're not safe by yourself." Grimmjow rationalized. "You need to be as far away from Aizen as possible."

"And where is that place?" Rukia pressed.

"It's not a place. It's a who." Grimmjow replied.

* * *

"You're crazy." Toshiro said simply, once Kira had finished explaining.

"I can't take all the credit." Kira replied. "It's Shunsui Kyoraku and Coyote Starrk's plan."

"Starrk?" Toshiro asked, a flash of recognition erupting in his eyes.

"You've heard of him?" Shunsui asked.

"I've heard of the Vicomte's family…" Toshiro answered unsurely. "There was a Master registered to that zone some years back."

Suddenly Jushiro collapsed, spewing thick blood into the grass. He choked loudly, blood splattering his cheeks and arms. Shunsui's eyes bulged and he dropped to his knees. "Ukitake-san? Are you alright? Jushiro?"

"Give him room." Toshiro ordered, kicking Shunsui until he moved. He didn't approach Jushiro, rather he stood even further away.

"It's consumption." Shunsui whispered anxiously.

"Consumption." Kira repeated the word thoughtfully. He also gave Jushiro a wide berth which Byakuya found rather peculiar.

"I…" Jushiro groaned. "I'm alright now."

"Answer me this." Byakuya said loudly, looking from Shunsui to Jushiro critically. "If Ukitake has consumption, why on earth did you bring that girl along?"

"He's not contagious." Shunsui barked.

"How so?" Byakuya pressed. "Consumption is incredibly contagious."

"He's just not, okay?!" Shunsui snapped.

"Although he isn't very convincing," Kira interjected. "Shunsui's probably correct. Jushiro is in a state of suspension. I suppose it has to do with Shunsui's contract with Aizen."

"It's unusual." Toshiro muttered. "Aizen isn't known to spare people, contract or not."

"Shunsui, consider yourself a _carrier_ ," Kira suggested. "Avoid all contact with non-contract holders."

"Me?" Shunsui shook his head in confusion.

"You two little samurai have been together for over a decade right?" Kira explained. "Don't you think you were, uh, exposed before you signed the contract?"

"I was never sick." Shunsui argued.

"All the more reason." Toshiro joined. "I think Kira is right. You should avoid all prolonged contact with non-contract holders. And that includes the human child."

"She hasn't been sick has she?" Kira asked, making no move to approach the girl.

"No, never." Jushiro answered nervously.

"Good." Kira said, clasping his hands. "She's a special girl, for a human, perhaps she also has luck on her side."

"Byakuya isn't a contract holder." Renji blurted suddenly, his tan cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "Does that mean he could catch it?"

"I'm dead." Byakuya replied, his eyes fluttering over Renji's face.

"I've seen dead bodies die." Renji argued, his fingers tapping against his thighs.

"I don't know." Kira admitted. He looked over to Toshiro with a shrug. "You know?"

"It's not… it's…." Toshiro struggled to find the right words. "I don't know if vampires can contract it. I know that this sickness kills everyone it afflicts." Toshiro sighed heavily, his eyes meeting Shunsui's. "There's no cure on Earth or Xibalba for it."

"What is Xibalba?" Byakuya asked. Shunsui's skin prickled at the mention of Xibalba.

"Our home." Kira answered, though the answer seemed to fall flat, even to himself.

"Where is Xibalba?" Byakuya continued.

"Far away." Toshiro answered distantly.

"It's a wretched place, full of misery and horror." Kira added. "It's not someplace others may enter."

"I'm going to help Jushiro to bed." Shunsui said suddenly. "We'll rest here for the night."

"Why are you people so adverse to floors and ceilings?" Kira demanded. "I don't particularly like ticks nestling into every crevice while I'm sleeping…"

"Where I come from," Byakuya said with a nostalgic smile. "We slept under the stars every night, even in the dead of winter. There were no roofs…"

"Your features are eastern." Kira surveyed Byakuya critically. "But I can't quite place it…"

"I was born in a Goth village in the mid-east." Byakuya answered. "Or at least, I believe I was. I moved northeast over time. I spent the better part of my natural life with the Huns." Byakuya pressed his fingers delicately against his smooth, beautiful skin. "Although my markings are gone now..."

"Huns also ate raw flesh." Ichigo countered, his lips twisted into a grimace. "I'm sure most of them had afflictions of the brain."

"Aren't you Sumerian?" Byakuya asked, arching a manicured brow. "Thank goodness you were never sacrificed as a virgin on the altar…" Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "Oh, but I forgot, you were of the upper class. You didn't have actual problems."

"I'm Mesopotamian…" Ichigo argued. "And you have no idea what…"

"Sumerian, Mesopotamian, it's the exact same thing…"

"We agreed to get along." Renji chastised. "Everyone behave."

"I'm taking my leave." Toshiro said suddenly, nodding toward Kira. "You'll send word, right? You'll let the Council know where you've settled."

"Sure." Kira drawled. "Just tell them I'm with the Grand Mage and they'll get off your case." Kira flashed Ichigo a smile. "I'm sure they trust their own man more than you."

"Undoubtedly." Toshiro sighed. "I'll be back to check on you."

"Please don't." Kira groaned.

"Don't make me chase you." Toshiro barked. "Don't make me be the bad guy."

"You're not the bad guy, but you're certainly an accessory…" Kira accused.

"I've been away too long." Toshiro whispered, a ring of golden light glimmering around him. "I must leave."

"Bye." Kira said curtly, waving pointedly.

"Be careful." Toshiro nearly shouted in frustration.

"Yeah," Kira said, finally smiling. "You too. I'll see ya when I see ya."


	28. Cycle

**Part XXVIII: Cycle**

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A burn for a burn. A life for a life. That's how all this got started. And that's how it's going to end."

Jenny Han, Fire with Fire

* * *

"She likes him." Byakuya whispered, nodding toward Orihime. Orihime chased after Kira, who purposefully walked several paces ahead. Every so often, he would look back to make sure she was keeping up and then return his gaze to the unending fields of wheat.

"She has weird tastes." Renji replied.

"Ukitake, Jushiro, whatever I'm supposed to call him," Byakuya muttered impatiently. "He said that she had a special gift of reading people…"

"Yeah." Renji nodded. "I believe it. She's got something."

"She doesn't like me." Byakuya said pointedly, scowling at Renji.

"What? I don't know, I mean, I don't think she dislikes you…" Renji explained. "There's also a language barrier…"

"I don't care." Byakuya insisted dryly. "I was simply making an observation."

"We're almost there," Kira called out, pointing up the hill. "The town's just over his ridge."

"Looks like a nice enough place to live." Ichigo said, rummaging through his pack.

"Don't become attached to my dinner, Ichigo." Byakuya warned.

"If you don't mind," Kira drawled. "I'd like to go first. I really need to consume dark matter soon. I'll take this town and you take the next, okay?"

Byakuya stopped walking. He stared at the back of Kira's head until the petite blonde turned around. Kira remained silent, the two creatures engaged in a fierce albeit motionless battle of wills.

"Kira is useful." Shunsui interrupted the silence. "We need him in top form."

"And I am not useful?" Byakuya growled.

"That's not what I meant…" Shunsui backpedaled. "I simply meant that you are more effective when hungry than he is…"

"That's an interesting assessment." Kira breathed. "It amazes me that you've analyzed my power so thoroughly when you have no basis of judgment."

"Guys." Ichigo barked, shaking his head in irritation. "Ignore Shunsui. He's clearly a dumbass." Ichigo walked into the field, pulling two stalks of wheat. He pulled the stalks apart, dropping all but two strands. He shortened one, holding them evenly in his hand. "Long stalk gets the first town, short stalk takes the second. We'll keep going in order until we reach our destination or one of the two of you opts out…"

"As expected of a Council Elder…" Kira hummed merrily. "So diplomatic. So Greek…"

"Just draw your lot." Ichigo muttered, lifting his hand.

"Who draws first?" Kira teased. "I mean, should we draw lots on who first to draw lots?"

"You may take the first town and I will take the second…" Byakuya snapped, his fangs protruding from his mouth. "This is not a concession but rather an indulgence to a child-minded man…"

"Thank you, darling…" Kira drawled.

Ichigo tossed the wheat into the air. It fluttered in the wind, dancing whimsically before abruptly falling to the earth. "I'm minding my own business from this point forward."

"Good luck with that." Renji mumbled.

"What?" Ichigo arched a brow in challenge.

"You heard me…" Renji teased. "You're so nosey. You can't leave anything alone…"

"Really?"

"You try to 'fix' everything…" Renji barked. "Which is usually just your controlling way of making everyone do as you want them to!"

"Oh, please!" Ichigo growled. "You are the most lukewarm person I've ever met! You have no real convictions and you bend any way the wind blows you!"

"Alright, that's enough…" Shunsui clapped his hands, frowning. "Stop it."

"And you," Ichigo whirled on Shunsui, pointing an accusatory finger. "You stay away from me. I still don't know what I think about you… You are not one of us…"

"Do not speak to Shunsui like that…" Jushiro became angry, his pale cheeks flushing with color.

"He doesn't need you to stand up for him!" Ichigo said, meeting Jushiro's sharp, green eyes.

"Don't yell at my parents!" Orihime shouted, balling her fists at her side.

"Yeah, well, Renji started it!" Ichigo shot back.

"So should I finish it?" Renji snarled, his eyes narrowing into yellow slits.

"You've never finished anything in your life!" Ichigo growled.

"And this, gentlemen," Kira interrupted, speaking quietly but in a demanding way. "Is why I must get dark matter as soon as possible. Discord."

"I already said you could go first." Byakuya said, shrugging. He flicked his long, black hair from his face and continued walking. "No need to show off…"

"I'm not impressed at all." Shunsui muttered. "We can fight well enough on our own…"

"Yes, yes," Kira said dryly. "I'm just positive you have no problems making everyone hate you everywhere you go."

"Ukitake-san and Orihime like me." Shunsui said, flashing a charming smile.

"Coyote too!" Orihime chimed in.

"Ah, well, most of time, I think…" Shunsui laughed. "Hopefully he likes me a little bit…"

"We've arrived." Byakuya announced as soon as he passed the first lamppost.

"Best behavior everyone." Kira insisted. "To be honest, we look damn suspicious."

"We are suspicious." Ichigo mumbled, looking around the empty shops.

"Where is everybody?" Renji asked, peering through a soapy window. He looked around the dark store, his face pressed to the glass.

"Is it Sunday?" Orihime asked. "Everyone must be at church!"

"That's possible." Shunsui agreed, nodding his head. "I have no idea what day it is. It hardly seems to matter anymore."

Kira sat down on a narrow, wooden stoop. He summoned his hookah pipe and began to smoke. He puffed shallowly, his eyes closed. He sat in silence, motionless except for his smoking. His eyes remained closed and he could have passed for sleeping sitting up.

"I smell no blood." Byakuya said. "There was no death here."

"I checked the church, no one's there." Ichigo called out, walking back down the road toward them. "This place is empty…"

"The food's fresh." Renji said, tossing a pear into the air and catching it. He bit into the fruit, chewing thoughtfully. "And all the animals are fat."

"It's like they've been spirited away." Jushiro breathed out, his hand held tightly over the guard of his sword.

"Seems we argued for nothing," Kira said suddenly. He opened his eyes, the sclera completely black. He frowned, his features shifting. Steam issued from his eyes and nose, the hookah falling abandoned on the dusty ground. He staggered to his feet, a large crack of bone breaking the silence.

Kira's legs snapped, elongating and reversing underneath his skin. It was sickening, a truly terrible sight. He held onto the fence beside him, but his fingers began to crumble and he sank to the ground where he laid face down in the dirt.

"What is happening to him?" Byakuya asked, his eyes wide with panic.

"He's transforming…" Shunsui said, knowing the agony all too well himself. "It'll only last a minute longer."

"Why?" Byakuya exhaled, watching Kira with morbid curiosity.

"From experience," Renji explained. "He's either in pain, scared, or extremely pissed off…"

A scream tore from Kira's throat. It changed, growing shriller and with much more vibrato, until nothing human remained. Kira's body shifted and groaned, expanding rapidly. Sulphur burned their nostrils, filling the air.

"It's a horse…" Byakuya said, taking a cautious step forward. He raised his hand and reached out, nearly touching the horse's glossy mane. Without warning, Renji snatched his wrist, pulling him away.

"What are you doing? That's a Master!" Renji growled, his hand still wrapped tightly around Byakuya's wrist.

"Is he more dangerous in this form?" Byakuya asked, wrenching his arm free.

But, of course, Kira had not transformed into a beautiful horse. He had transformed into a skeletal creature, exceeding the size of a draft in height. The horse was skin and bones, the bones so defined it appeared as if they had been painted into the fur. The mane and tail alone were beautiful, pale golden hair that was thick in the mane and dragged along the ground in the tail.

"It's huge…" Orihime breathed. And it was. The horse was massive, seriously dwarfing Shunsui's wolf transformation.

"He's amazing," Byakuya breathed reaching out once more. He placed his hand against the horse's side, rubbing toward his haunches. The horse's fur was burning hot and Byakuya struggled to maintain contact.

The horse whinnied, pounding the earth beneath its hooves. "Back up, Byakuya…"

Byakuya hissed, glaring at Renji. "Do you think he won't let me know himself if I'm too close?"

"We need to collect dark matter for him." Shunsui realized. "So he can maintain his human form."

"But there's no one here…" Ichigo murmured.

"Then we move on…" Shunsui pressed. "He mentioned this, didn't he? He said something about the weaker ones not being able to look human… or something like that…"

"I imagined a man with fluffy, bunny ears to be honest…" Byakuya murmured. "Nothing like this."

"Can you talk?" Jushiro asked, standing in front of the horse.

"I… can…" the voice felt to be more inside of their heads than from the horse. "For… now…"

"What do you want us to do?" Jushiro asked. "Do you need us to collect dark matter?"

"Yes…" it felt as if they were thinking the voice, rather than hearing it.

"Let's move…" Shunsui directed, lifting Orihime into his arms.

"But what about these people?" Ichigo asked, looking around the abandoned town.

"He… al-read-y… has… them…" the voice answered.

"Who? Who has them?" Jushiro demanded.

"Cero."

* * *

"We have to leave this road." Byakuya insisted, looking around the abandoned post.

"How far is the next main road?" Ichigo asked, pulling out one of the many maps he carried.

"Forget main roads…" Byakuya decided. "We will take what we can get."

"Everyone's gone…" Orihime said, oblivious to the conversation taking place. "It's kinda spooky and sad…"

"This Master is starving us out…" Byakuya continued. "I will not continue to be affronted by such a basic tactic."

"Agreed." Shunsui nodded. "I'm getting pissed off."

"More importantly," Renji interjected. "Is that not only is Kira not getting dark matter and Byakuya's not getting blood, but this Cero is getting everything to himself. How many towns has it been now? Four-five? He's stocking up…"

"But how is he collecting it?" Ichigo asked, his brown eyes scanning the empty post. "I haven't seen any shifters or any Master…"

"We haven't seen any humans either…" Shunsui added.

"He's a thorough guy…" Renji muttered.

"You tell us…" Byakuya insisted, turning to the skeletal horse creature. "How is this Master collecting the dark matter? Why is he taking entire towns of people?"

"Must… eat…" the voice pleaded. "Must… eat… now…"

* * *

Kira sat alone, his back to the others, his fingers combing through his pale, blonde hair. He had been quiet and pensive for days, speaking only to the villagers. Kira transformed back into his human form shortly after their arrival and it seemed that he avoided the others in shame.

"Kira!" Orihime cried out, never one to read a mood. "Look, look! This frog has three legs!"

She ran over to the Master, showing him her rare find. He looked down at the frog and smiled, his blue eyes settling on the child softly. He took the frog into his hands and squeezed it between his fingers. He stared into its eyes and then released it. It hopped off and into the grass to hide.

"You let it go…" Orihime groaned in disappointment.

"Of course," Kira said, wiping his hands on his clothes. "It didn't belong to us."

"I was going to show Ichigo." Orihime explained it. "I bet he loves to eat frogs." Ichigo shook his head and sighed before returning his attention back to the map in front of him. Shunsui pointed at something and Ichigo nodded, murmuring in response.

Kira smiled indulgently, lifting his hand as if he wanted to stroke her hair. But instead he returned his hand to his lap. "Not everyone appreciates time." Kira said. "Time is a purely human torture."

"I don't understand…" Orihime confessed.

"What I mean is this," Kira drawled. "Here you are, sweet and innocent and enjoying every single little thing. And there they are, wasting every limited second they have with you…" Kira frowned. "It doesn't make sense to me. If I had something important, I would cherish it."

"They're fighting a war." Orihime explained, excusing their behavior. "I joined them knowing this…"

"You tell me, Orihime," Kira pressed. "Do you think the shifters should take revenge on the Masters? Do you think they deserve to be punished?"

"They're bad. They do bad things…" Orihime answered, suddenly conscious to the others listening in on their conversation.

"Yes. The Masters have done many bad things to shifters. But did you know that the Masters spent millennia being tortured and hunted by humans? Did you know that Masters like Aizen think it's fair revenge to turn humans into shifters?"

"No… I didn't…" Orihime whispered.

"When does it stop?" Kira asked. "When does everything suddenly become fair and wonderful?"

"So you think we should just lie down and take it?" Shunsui asked, his grey eyes narrowed.

"No," Kira shook his head. "I mean it like this- This war will continue for eons. Can't you wait until your human friend is gone? I promise, there will still be fighting left to do when she dies…" Kira shrugged, his hands twitching. "I think you're wasting her time. And most definitely your own…"

"I don't know." Shunsui admitted. "I can only do what I think is right."

"I understand." Kira nodded curtly. "Remember, I speak from experience…"

"I appreciate the warning," Shunsui sighed, trying to soften the edge of his voice. "And I mean that. But I don't know how long I have. I don't believe that shifters are immortal. I know we're just really hard to kill. I want to end Aizen. I want to protect others from him… And I have to do that now. When I have the chance…"

"If only you were always so determined…" Kira drawled, summoning his pipe. "Things would be a lot different…"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Kira smiled dryly. "But I believe that you're much more emotionally driven than you think. And that will hurt you in the end."

"Maybe."

"Life is just a cycle. Everything's the same in the end." Kira murmured around his pipe. "Life holds no surprises anymore. I'm afraid I'm rather burnt out."

"They won't understand that concept," Byakuya interjected. "I've tried."

Kira smiled, exhaling a large cloud of scented smoke. "They don't realize yet all the good things they have… They will. They will know when it's all gone…"

"I'm grateful for everything I have." Shunsui said flatly.

"You have no idea what you have." Kira snarled, his face twisting in anger. "If you did you'd take better care of it!"

"Have you collected enough dark matter?" Byakuya asked, changing the subject.

Kira nodded slowly. "As much as I can safely take from these people."

"I don't know when I'll get another opportunity…" Byakuya began. "I'm going to feed."

"Here?" Renji asked, looking around the quiet town worriedly.

"Yes. Here." Byakuya replied. "They'll do just fine."

"When are you going to…?" Shunsui asked, looking up from Ichigo's map.

"Tonight." Byakuya answered. "It's easier when they're asleep."

"What if someone wakes?" Ichigo murmured.

"My food supply has greatly diminished on this journey. Surely you won't hold it against me if I get it all at once?" Byakuya reasoned, growing irritated. "I've been drinking more regularly since we met. It's painful to abstain for such a long time. Let me remind you… I'm going hungry while my meal walks beside me, twirling and dancing and singing the whole way…"

"Do what you need to do." Shunsui said with a nod. "We need you at full strength."

"We found another route." Ichigo said, raising the map. "There aren't any towns, but we figure that's okay. There's a smaller chance of staying undetected that way…"

"I agree, we should take the alternate route, but not so we can sneak in…" Kira began. "He knows we're coming. Don't fool yourselves. He can feel us. Look around. This much power in one place… he knows." Kira cleared his throat. "But we do need to stay away from the towns. He's taking our food source for himself. He's more prepared in every way…"

"What can we do?" Byakuya questioned.

"We can hurry…" Kira answered. "He gets stronger every day."

"But what about the two of you?" Ichigo pressed. "How will you get enough dark matter and blood? We can't fight without the two of you."

"I have a way…" Kira said after a long silence. "But it's not good… If I did it…" Kira trailed off, inhaling from his pipe.

"What can you do?" Ichigo urged.

"Forget I said anything." Kira shook his head. "I gave up that part of me a long time ago. And if I die, I die. I still won't use that sort of power…"

"I respect that." Shunsui agreed. "Stick with your convictions."

"I will drink tonight." Byakuya said quietly. "I should be able to maintain my strength through rodents and small mammals until we reach our destination. I'll have to reserve my power until then…" Byakuya looked from Renji to Shunsui pointedly. "You'll have to assist me if there's a fight."

"Of course," Renji promised, nodding emphatically. "I've got it under control. Us shifters don't have to worry about that sort of thing… We've got this."

"Good." Byakuya nodded. "Thank you."

"No problem." Renji said, a smile twisting up the corners of his lips.

"You can start now." Byakuya ordered, a steely-grey eye meeting his. Byakuya's lips twitched and he nearly smiled. "I'll be needing your assistance tonight."

"Ah…" Renji breathed, his cheeks warming. "My pleasure…"


	29. Be Patient

**_Part XXIX: Be Patient_**

"The weather's nice." Jushiro said breathlessly, the continuous walk beginning to take its toll on him.

"It's not snowing," Ichigo replied. "I'll take it."

"Let's not talk." Kira murmured, his quiet voice somehow carrying to the entire group. "I'm listening…"

"Listening to what?" Shunsui asked, watching Kira out of the corner of his eyes.

"Listening for…" Kira corrected, holding a finger to his lips in a silencing gesture.

They walked in silence for several miles. The warmth of the sun disappeared first and then the light. Dark, ominous clouds filled the sky and the pleasant breeze suddenly stilled. It was as if all the air was sucked from the world. There was nothing. No sound, no movement. Only lifelessness.

"Move!" Kira shouted, his blue eyes wide with panic. But there was no time to move, no time to even process Kira's instruction.

Lightning struck the earth, piercing directly in the center of the group. The ground split and shifted with a terrible groan. The dirt beneath their feet rumbled and loosened and for several terrifying seconds it appeared it would swallow them up.

Byakuya moved first, grabbing Renji's arm and yanking him away. He pushed Ichigo as he passed him, nearly knocking the shifter over. He gripped Ichigo by the collar and ran full out, heading for the cover of a large formation of rock.

"They're not moving…" Byakuya breathed out, his heart pounding in his chest. "They need to move…"

Byakuya pushed off from the rock but Renji held him back. "Wait!"

Byakuya exchanged a look with Renji. Byakuya nodded wordlessly and Renji released his hold. Byakuya ran, his body nothing more than a blur to the eye. He dodged the moaning, shifting earth and jumped, just as a small plot of earth fell out from under his feet.

"Shunsui, Ukitake!" Byakuya yelled, the vibrations from the ground numbing his legs. "Kira!" Byakuya paused, only a finger's length away from Kira. "What are you doing? Move!"

Orihime was screaming. It was nearly impossible to hear her over the earth's quaking. She had been screaming so long her voice was hoarse. Byakuya narrowed his eyes, frustration coursing through him. "What are you…?"

Shunsui, Jushiro, Kira, and even Orihime, all were gaping up at the sky. Byakuya looked up slowly, a peculiar sensation carving out his insides. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. He reached out for Kira, grabbing the Master tightly. He meant to tell him to move, but it was impossible.

A giant hand descended from the sky, trailing through the dark clouds like smoke. The fingers curled, the hand balling into a fist. It was an enormous hand, nearly as big as the elephant Byakuya had seen at the Roman court once. And it was just the hand…

"Shunsui!" Kira yelled, suddenly snapping out of his stupor. He twisted unexpectedly, freeing himself from Byakuya's grasp. He lunged forward, pushing one hand against Shunsui and the other against Jushiro. He knocked the two men nearly one hundred yards away, Orihime falling with a thud to the ground.

The mammoth hand punched the earth where Shunsui had been standing. It was sudden and painfully slow at the same time. Byakuya felt the wind whip through his hair. He felt the intensity as the ground caved from the force. He felt the power tremble up his legs and chatter his teeth.

A splatter of blood dripped down Byakuya's pale face. His steely-grey eyes were wide, his mouth open ever-so-slightly. He was frozen in place, staring at the brown knuckles in front of him. He only had to lift a finger and he would be touching that hand…

"Kir-a…" Byakuya murmured, using his fingertips to touch the fresh, warm blood that dripped down his face.

The hand rose, higher and higher, until it disappeared back into the clouds. Byakuya couldn't move, couldn't speak. He could only stare at the hole where Kira had been moments before. There was nothing. No body, no clothes, no scraps of bones. The only thing that proved Kira had been in that spot was the blood that trickled down Byakuya's face.

"Byakuya!" Renji shouted. He tried to jump over the rock barrier but Ichigo held him in place. Renji struggled but Ichigo refused to release his hold.

 _Good boy, Ichigo_ , Byakuya thought, his body still unable to move.

 _Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss._ That noise was like a whispered threat or, perhaps, even a malicious laugh. It was an unnatural sound that made Byakuya's skin crawl. It erupted from the hole, increasing in volume until Byakuya could no longer stand it.

The hand reappeared at the top of the sky, parting the clouds with ease. The hand came down quickly, aiming to strike the same spot as before. Only this time, Byakuya would be underneath that fist as well.

"Byakuya! Run!" Renji screamed.

 _Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss._ Kira crawled from the hole, a mess of limbs. He wasn't human and he wasn't horse, he was a sickening mistake, a dastardly combination of the two. It was almost too cruel to watch him struggle and that is what released Byakuya from his paralyzing dread.

Byakuya moved swiftly, plowing into Kira purposefully. He allowed his body to hit Kira's misshapen form and he pushed with all of his might. Grass and roots and hard earth resisted but Byakuya pressed onward. He ran, his shoulder throbbing from the intense weight of the half-transformed Master.

The fist struck the earth again, but this time Kira was not underneath. Byakuya hissed, dropping to his knees. He closed his eyes and wiped Kira's blood from his face. He didn't need to breathe, his heart didn't need to beat, so why was his heart racing? Why was he gulping for air?

 _Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss._ Kira grimaced, his long face turned toward the sky.

"This was a mistake." Byakuya thought aloud. "There's no way we can match such strength…"

Tss. Tss. Tss. Tss. Kira whimpered, his bones reforming slowly. His body steamed, sinew wriggling beneath the surface.

"Byakuya, Kira!" Ichigo shouted. "Get out of the open!"

Byakuya nodded, hoisting Kira over his shoulder. He was almost human-looking again. He was almost back to normal. Byakuya licked his lips, his fangs jutting from his mouth. Byakuya carried Kira, running to where Ichigo and Renji were hidden beyond the rocks.

Byakuya lowered Kira to the ground. He wiped his hands on his clothes and straightened up with purpose. "I'll be back."

"Wait!" Renji snapped. "Where are you going now?"

"I have to get Shunsui and Ukitake…" Byakuya explained. "And Orihime…"

"What makes you think this spot is safe?" Renji demanded. "They might be better off there…"

"In the open?" Byakuya asked, arching a brow.

"Sa-ve… the… hu-ma-n…" Kira growled, his voice fluctuating between human and demon. "Sav-e… h-er…"

"We aren't safe here…" Renji groaned. "What do we do? Where do we put her?"

"Safe… here…" Kira said with much effort. "St-stone… not i-…iron…"

"I'll be right back…" Byakuya announced. His eyes met Renji's for the briefest moment. "I'll be back."

Byakuya zigzagged through the decimated field, rushing toward the others. He reached Orihime first, cradling the small child in his arms. He held her tightly, pressing his head against her chest. She breathed shallowly, her heart beating weakly in her chest. He handed her to Ichigo, who took her gently, holding her small, weak body against his.

The fist rained down from the clouds, striking the ground with enough force to bounce everyone into the air. The violent movement was enough to rouse Shunsui from unconsciousness. He sat up, reaching for Jushiro before he even remembered what was going on. He lifted Jushiro into his arms and stood.

Finally, he saw the fist, lodged deep into the earth and he recalled the situation. He looked around, searching for Orihime desperately. His eyes met Byakuya's and he nodded in understanding. And then he ran, over the broken ground, around the upturned roots and into the safety of the rock barrier.

"What's going on?" Shunsui asked, blood dripping down his forehead.

"That's Cero." Kira explained, his entire body shaking as he tried to sit up. His hookah materialized for only a second before disappearing. Kira cursed, trying again and again before finally settling for a small cigarette roll of tobacco.

"That's a Master?" Shunsui asked, looking toward the black sky.

"Yeah," Kira said, nodding his head and licking his trembling lips. He smoked the rolled tobacco quickly, lighting another before the used one even fell from his hand. "He's been collecting all the dark matter from those 'abandoned' towns…" Kira accidentally dropped his cigarette; he wiped at his teary eyes and picked it back up, smoking in desperation.

"That's…" Shunsui shook his head. "He has to be stronger than Aizen…"

"He's not…" Kira explained, tears streaming down his cheeks. He wiped at his face in frustration. "He's just… He's overindulged… He'll have a surge of unbelievable power but he can't maintain it… It's like I said, it's just, I was unprepared… I haven't done this in so long and…" Kira sobbed openly. "Most of us would be dead if Byakuya wasn't here…"

"You're the only one who could do anything…" Kira looked at Byakuya. "This group is supposed to be the best but…"

"We were all unprepared." Ichigo agreed. "But we've seen it now. We understand."

"How long?" Renji asked, looking up at the night-like sky. "Until this sucker loses his surge?"

"It's over when the sun comes back." Kira answered.

"How far are we from his house?" Shunsui asked, adjusting Jushiro in his arms.

"Close." Kira replied.

"Can we make it back to his house before he does?" Shunsui wondered.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kira drawled, wiping his face one last time. "He wouldn't leave his house with us this close to him…"

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, his eyes narrowed. "He's here now, isn't he?"

"No." Kira shook his head, his eyes gazing far-off. "He's using a portal. He can't look and punch at the same time. That's the only reason we had any chance at all…"

"Could you send us to him?" Byakuya asked. "Using a portal?"

"Humans can't use the portals for Masters…" Kira said with a frown. "Not even if they're shifters."

"What about vampires then?" Byakuya pressed.

"I don't know." Kira admitted. "I don't see why not. It's not like you need to breathe…"

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, concern etched in his handsome face.

"Portals are painful." Kira explained. "They pull and tear at every inch of you… It's not the most pleasant way to travel…"

"We don't have time to waste." Byakuya declared. "It's decided."

"What's decided?" Renji asked, shaking his head in confusion.

"We can't attack a Master who isn't here. Which means we need to get to his actual physical location. We can't exactly continue our walk with those punches hailing down on us…" Byakuya explained rapidly. "Which means we have to wait. He will expend all his extra dark matter and stabilize, that is when we are at our most likely chance of success…"

"But what if he collects more dark matter?" Byakuya continued. "It's easy enough for him. He gets whole villages at a time. He'd be unstoppable and we'd waste a lot of time…" Byakuya leaned in closely. "Ichigo, Renji, Shunsui, Jushiro, and Orihime will wait until the sun returns. You will make haste to his physical location. And Kira and I will use the portal to reach Cero. We will keep Cero from stealing more dark matter. You will arrive as our reinforcements and we will defeat Cero…"

Everyone was silent for a long stretch of time. Finally Ichigo nodded, "How long will it take us to get from here to Cero?"

"Less than a day." Kira answered, his hookah finally materializing between his legs.

"A day?" Renji shook his head. "That's too long…"

"Ichigo's fast." Shunsui reasoned. "He might make it sooner."

"A whole day is too long!" Renji snarled. "Can you imagine holding that thing off for an hour let alone a day?!"

"That 'thing' is one of my kind…" Kira said quietly, puffing on his pipe. "Please don't dismiss me entirely."

"I'm not dismissing you." Renji groaned. "I just don't think splitting into two groups like that is a good idea. What if you die? Two of our strongest fighters will be dead…"

"Cero can't kill me." Kira exhaled, a large 'O' curling from his lips. "He doesn't have the means." Kira's blue eyes met Renji's. "And since I am a whole Master, I won't be sent back to Carcer to start all over…"

"I agree with Byakuya." Ichigo said with a nod. "It's worth the risk…"

"Shunsui…" Renji groaned, turning toward the other with a frown. "We can't abandon two of us to that monster for an entire day…"

"We can't let him absorb more dark matter." Shunsui responded. Renji cursed, covering his face with his hands. "I'm sorry, Renji. But I think this is the best plan…"

"What if you don't survive the portal?" Renji pressed in desperation. "Kira, can you stop Cero from absorbing dark matter on your own?"

"I can also absorb dark matter…" Kira explained. "If all else fails, I can take it from him forcefully…" Kira held the mouthpiece of his pipe just beyond his lips. "I may have the appearance of a delicate, little flower but I assure you, I'm a Master through and through…"

"Do you think we can find Cero without Kira?" Renji asked, licking his lips nervously.

"You'll know." Kira said with a dry laugh. "You'll feel him. You'll feel me. And you'll wish you were anywhere else…"

"This is the best shot we have, Renj," Ichigo murmured, slapping his friend on the back.

"Yeah." Renji breathed out heavily. He nodded his head, his red hair falling into his face. "Of course."

"One more thing," Kira said, speaking up. "Shunsui, leave the damn humans behind…" Kira's eyes narrowed in anger. "Wise up or go ahead and dig their graves yourself… We won't help you…"

The pounding stopped. The earthquake stopped. The group of men sat huddled, listening expectantly, but the earth had grown still and peaceful. A tiny sliver of sun emerged from behind the clouds and Renji sighed deeply.

Byakuya stood, Kira following directly behind. "It's time," Kira announced. Ichigo nodded and leapt to his feet, dropping Orihime into Renji's arms. He showed no hesitation, his form rippling from view as he took to the trees. Kira smiled at Shunsui, a sad sort of smile that was laced with disappointment. "We'll be waiting…"

"We'll be there soon." Shunsui said, climbing to his feet with Jushiro in his arms. "Good luck."

"Good luck to you too." Kira replied. He lifted his arm waving it in a wide, broad circle, almost as if he were painting in the air.

"Byakuya," Renji began unsurely.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Byakuya replied dismissively.

"Byakuya!" Renji called again, more firmly this time.

"Yes?" Byakuya asked, turning to look at the redhead.

"Don't die yet." Renji nearly shouted, his eyes closing.

"I won't." Byakuya said, a peculiar smile tugging at his lips. "Not yet."

An enchanting golden ring of light appeared in the air. Kira nodded and stepped toward it. The portal pulled at him, like an inescapable vacuum. His skin stretched, his bones snapping grotesquely. "Come on, vampire…"

"I'm coming." Byakuya replied, stepping away from Renji and through the portal. He disappeared, the golden ring of light closing around them and extinguishing.

Byakuya felt as if every muscle, every bone, every fiber had been pulled apart from the next. He felt dissected. There was pain and agony and then there was nothing, because he was nothing. He was Byakuya when he entered and suddenly he was no one. It wasn't floating, it was too fast, too violent to be called floating. It was like birth, like being ripped from the canal whether he wanted to go or not.

And then it was over. He sank to his knees and retched. Blood spilled all over the stone floor, soaking between his fingers. Byakuya choked loudly, jumping when a hand brushed gently through his hair. "There, there…" Kira drawled. "Let it out…"

"It…" Byakuya groaned, closing his eyes as he readjusted to being alive, to being Byakuya. "…was horrible…"

"I know…" Kira whispered, his fingers wrapping around Byakuya's shoulder. He squeezed in a comforting way before standing. "But now we're here."

Byakuya nodded, struggling to climb to his feet. He wheezed for a few moments before finally standing. He wiped his mouth and looked around the room they had suddenly appeared in.

The room was dark and empty. Even the walls were bare. The stone was wet and cold, green sludge growing between the cracks. There was a door on the far side of the room, seemingly the only thing that wasn't stone within sight. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Kira admitted. "Somewhere in Cero's home."

"Do we take the door?" Byakuya asked, distrustful of everything around him.

"No." Kira refused. He smiled and shrugged. "I'm not going to wander around the place and get lost…" Kira dropped to his knee, balling his hand into a fist. He rubbed his knuckle against the stone before lifting up his elbow, raising his fist high. "I'd rather make a bang."

Kira punched the stone, breaking through the solid rock with a terrible crack. The floor splintered into fragments and before Byakuya could react he and Kira were falling through the floor and into a large, warm room.

They fell to the stone floor, the rocks falling all around them. Byakuya looked up, staring in shock at the terrifying man sitting in the throne. He was a large man, taller than a giant and weighing more than three men combined. He had dark skin and hair and strange red markings on his face. Swirling black designs were tattooed into his skin.

" _Suerte_ …" Cero murmured, a smile spreading across his stern face.

"Cero," Kira said, climbing to his feet.

"It's Yammy now, Wabisuke…" Cero growled.

"It's Kira now." Kira replied.

"Is this it? Just you?" Cero barked with laughter. "Where's Katen?"

"He's coming." Kira said, his bones snapping as he grew, larger and larger. "Be patient."

"Patient?" Cero laughed again. "You'll be dead in five minutes."


	30. A Terrible and Awesome Sight

**_Part XXX: A Terrible and Awesome Sight_**

It was a terrible and awesome sight. Yammy lunged from his throne, discarded bones crushing beneath his mammoth feet. He was monstrous in proportions, his face peeled back in a mask of anger. He was flesh and bone and raw physical strength and he was barreling toward them.

Kira, who moments ago had been slender and meek, beautiful even, was transforming rapidly. His bones snapped, his skin rippled. He could never match Yammy's size, but he was doing his damndest to and as quickly as possible.

"Vampire!" Kira groaned, seconds until impact. "Limb from limb!"

Byakuya nodded wordlessly, bracing himself. Yammy collided with Kira and Kira was knocked over. Kira lifted his legs, kicking Yammy in the stomach and flipping him over his head. The stone groaned and shook from the force. Kira rolled to his feet, his sclera pure black.

Yammy was on his back for a few seconds but Byakuya hesitated. He cursed himself when Yammy sat up. He should have moved in. He should have done something. Was it fear that planted his feet so firmly to the stone?

Kira seemed unphased by Byakuya's inaction. He looked to the vampire and offered an encouraging smile, as if there was no enemy in front of them. He nodded his head, his blonde hair falling into his eye. "We have to keep him busy until they get here."

"Yes, of course." Byakuya agreed, rousing a bit.

"I probably should've mentioned this, but…" Kira breathed out. "Don't drink his blood."

"That is useful information," Byakuya retorted, his hand on his sword unsurely.

"Limb from limb." Kira repeated.

"You're scared." Yammy barked, his loud voice filling the humid room. "Both of you! Why have you come here? This is pathetic. One tiny, little _mariquita_ and you, what are you?"

"I'm a vampire." Byakuya answered.

" _Suerte."_ Yammy breathed out with a smile. "I'll kill you both now before Katen gets here."

"Oh, shut up." Kira muttered, lifting his arm above his heart. He dug his thumb across his wrist, his nail cutting deeply into the vein. Blood poured profusely from the wound, spraying the floor and pooling beneath his feet. It was so much blood, a fatal slice.

"What?" Yammy smirked delightedly. Byakuya looked at Kira in shock. Yammy laughed boisterously. "Yes! I love it! You're getting serious…"

"Yammy can control iron." Kira said in explanation. "He's been known to exsanguinate his opponents. I'm removing the temptation."

"That sword is useless too, pretty boy," Yammy growled, turning toward Byakuya.

"It's only useless if you're stronger than me." Byakuya countered, unsheathing his sword. "This is my sword and no one will take it from me."

Yammy nodded his head, as if allowing the dissention. And then, with one single wave of his hand, Byakuya and his sword were thrown into the air. Byakuya gripped his sword tightly. The sword had belonged to Attila the Hun. The sword had been given to him. He had _earned_ the Sword of God and he would never let it go. Byakuya struck the wall violently, but he still kept hold of this sword. He dug his claws into the stone and he tethered himself to the spot. So easily the Master had thrown him.

Kira launched himself forward, his pale hands wrapping around Yammy's dark wrist. Kira twisted Yammy's arm, the bone snapping grotesquely. Yammy roared, his other fist connecting with Kira's cheek. Kira's head bounced sickly against the stone ground.

"You fight like a human." Yammy complained. "Fight me like a Xibalban or just go ahead and die."

Yammy growled, his hand reaching down to his ankle. His eyes widened in shock and then narrowed, his lips peeling back. He swat at Byakuya, his body inflating to an even bigger size. He grew a solid two feet in height, a hundred pounds in weight. Byakuya was undeterred, he sliced his blade through Yammy's ankle and with a triumphant gasp he severed the joint.

Yammy wailed in anger and pain and then collapsed, his foot remaining where he had been standing. Yammy ballooned again, growing ever larger in size. He lurched for Byakuya, his fingers brushing against Byakuya's legs. Yammy growled under his breath, an old language that Byakuya couldn't place.

Kira leapt on top of Yammy, attempting to pin his arms down by his waist. Kira was much longer than any human but he was still so small compared to Yammy. He struggled, even going so far as to try and stand on Yammy's wrists.

Byakuya took the opportunity to attack. He sliced his blade through Yammy's other ankle. The blade caught on the tissue and he grunted with effort. He put his weight into it, but Yammy had grown too large, he couldn't amputate the limb.

"Fuck!" Byakuya growled, wrenching his blade from Yammy's flesh.

"Abandon the sword." Kira said, his white skin turning grey. "B-bash h-is…" And then Kira drooped forward, the blood loss finally taking its toll.

Yammy tossed Kira as if he were a sack of grain, directly at Byakuya. Byakuya dropped his sword as he was forced backward. Kira and Byakuya tumbled, Kira's large body snapping and cracking as it rolled.

"I told ya! Stop fighting like a fucking human!" Yammy bellowed, a typhoon force wind whipping through the room.

"Hey," Byakuya murmured, slapping his hand against Kira's deathly pale cheek. "How do you intend to fight without blood?" Byakuya looked up as Yammy ran straight at them. "Damn it, Kira."

Byakuya pushed off of the floor, Kira's immense weight over his shoulder. He jumped up, scaling the side of the stone wall. He crawled up and up, anchoring himself in a corner. Kira groaned, finally looking at Byakuya with a single blue eye. "Why are we up here?"

"Because you passed out and I have no fucking idea what I'm doing!" Byakuya hissed. "I have never felt so stupid in my whole life!"

"Then it's about time." Kira drawled. "I feel a little more idiotic every day of my life."

"Do you have a course of action?" Byakuya demanded, wondering how much longer the ceiling would be safe from the giant's reach.

"We don't have to kill him yet." Kira explained. "We're keeping him from summoning more dark matter. We're doing perfectly well…"

"So our plan is to keep getting our asses kicked until reinforcements show up?" Byakuya barked.

"If that's what it takes." Kira murmured. "I can't lose control here. I've worked so hard. I won't throw that away for anyone."

And then Kira jumped. He dropped over the top of Byakuya's shoulder and nose-dived toward the floor. Instead of becoming a splat against the stone, a golden ring appeared. He disappeared through the portal, reappearing behind Yammy in an instant.

"Are you ready to fight me with the honor of our race?" Yammy barked.

"You're just gonna have to humor me, Yammy." Kira declared, summoning his pipe.

* * *

"What was that?" Tsukishima murmured, peering out the window suspiciously. And then he remembered he was completely alone.

Aizen, Coyote, and Ginjo had been gone for days. The punishment had been severe. Surely, if they were not under contract they would have been killed by Aizen's brutality. Tsukishima didn't question Ginjo, at least not intentionally, but he wondered if sparing Rukia the insult had been worth the cost.

There was another surge of strangling power. Tsukishima gripped the window sill, looking around the town for any sign, of anything. It was dark magic, old magic. Suddenly the doors began to open in the village. No lights, no sound beyond the creaking of doors.

The villagers crept from their homes, clinging to the darkness like animals. They were in a trance of sorts, no one spoke, no one acknowledged anyone else. Tsukishima watched with tentative wonder until his curiosity finally got the best of him. He left the small apartment and walked down the stairs.

He wandered into the street, touching one of the humans. He screeched until he released him, the human scurrying along his way. Tsukishima narrowed his eyes, dropping into a squat in the center of the writhing villagers. They scuttled across the dusty ground, each of them making their way down the road.

There was a light up ahead, a beautiful shimmer of silver. Tsukishima navigated through the villagers, hurrying toward the light. He watched the first villager step into the circle and disappear, then another and another.

Tsukishima deliberated for only a moment before acting. He grabbed the nearest human, sinking his teeth into her slender throat. She didn't even scream as he drained the life from her. He grabbed another and another, only allowing one out of every three to pass through the portal. He drank greedily, his mouth and chin stained deeply with blood. He rolled his neck from side to side, cracking his bones, and then he stepped through the portal.

* * *

"We'd move faster if we weren't carrying anyone." Renji breathed, swinging through the trees expertly.

"We can't leave them." Shunsui growled, running beneath Renji.

"Kira said-" Renji began.

"I know what he said." Shunsui barked. "We will find somewhere safe along the way. We can't just leave them in the middle of the woods…"

"I'll be fine." Jushiro insisted, feeling rather awkward holding onto Shunsui's broad back. "I'm not helpless."

"What if you have an episode?" Shunsui reasoned. "Who will take care of you? Who will take care of Orihime?" Shunsui panted in exhaustion. "We'll find an inn. That way you won't be left to the elements."

"Where are we going to find an inn out here?" Renji groaned, dropping to the ground as the tree line ended. "We have to hurry."

"We can run faster if we don't talk." Shunsui pointed out curtly.

"Ah," Renji exhaled, adjusting Orihime on his back. "Excuse the fuck outta me, your highness…"

* * *

"Vampire!" Kira shouted, slicing his claws over Yammy's face. Byakuya landed with a thud, mere feet from Yammy's enormous, and completely healed, feet. "Byakuya! Move!"

Yammy lifted his foot and Byakuya started to crawl weakly. He hissed loudly, his claws scratching against the filthy stone. Yammy's foot crashed down, barely missing Byakuya's legs. "Die!"

Byakuya closed his eyes, Yammy's foot bearing down on him again. Byakuya transformed, fluttering through the air in bat form. Yammy's foot slammed the stone and he laughed triumphantly. Yammy looked down in shock, checking under his foot for Byakuya's body. The bat was too tiny, too unimportant to Yammy, to even register.

The bat fluttered up and up, landing on Kira's shoulder. "Poor, sweet thing…" Kira drawled. "You're so small." Kira held the bat in his hands gently, pressing his lips to the bat's black fur. Kira exhaled a deep breath, a strange dust settling over the bat. "I will make you fearsome."

The bat screeched loudly, a panicked sound. The wings jutted outward, elongating and stretching to massive proportions. The body shifted, arms grew out from the body, alongside the wicked wings. The face morphed, changing faster than could be described. Finally the face began to bear a resemblance to Byakuya, the nose still rather bat-like.

Yammy's face twisted in confusion. He hadn't expected the vampire to change into a bat and he certainly hadn't expected Kira to magic the creature into an even more terrifying form. Yammy struck out at Kira, but the blow was blocked. He punched again and again, never landing a blow.

Kira was right. He was terribly out of practice. But the longer he fought the more natural it became. The longer he fought, the more pain he endured, the more pain he inflicted, the more magic he used. He was fearfully strong.

Byakuya, transformed into a demon-like creature, shrieked. He took flight, the air in the room stirring from the pure power of those large wings. He flew around the room, circling Yammy threateningly.

"That's more like it." Yammy finally spoke, a smirk crossing his face. "It was getting too boring."

"Boring?" Kira mused, his voice deepening. "How so?"

"You're using up your dark matter." Yammy warned. "I'll kill ya when you run out."

"I won't run out until Katen arrives." Kira vowed. "You won't beat me."

"Keep talking." Yammy challenged. "Did you ever win a match against me in Xibalba?"

"That's different." Kira insisted. "That was a game. This is war."

Byakuya descended, tearing his claws into Yammy's neck. He shredded without mercy, blood and flesh squishing between his fingers. He was frenzied, his last semblance of humanity forgotten. His wings beat in the air wildly, his exposed teeth growing into needle-like fangs.

Kira slapped Byakuya out of the way with a growl. "Don't drink the blood!" For a moment Kira feared that Byakuya would attack him, but Byakuya nodded, his fangs now well below his jaw. Kira nodded in return, raising a calming hand. "Do not drink a Master's blood."

A ring of blinding silver appeared beside the throne. Yammy and Kira turned to watch. Yammy's face contorted from confusion to delight as he realized it was a portal. "What is this?" Kira demanded.

"Looks like my friends are more reliable than yours." Yammy muttered, trekking toward the portal.

Kira grabbed hold of Yammy with all his might. Yammy continued, dragging Kira across the room as if he were merely a child clinging to his leg. "Byakuya!" Kira shouted, digging his claws into Yammy's thigh. "Stop whoever comes out of that portal!"

Byakuya was across the room in an instant. He flapped his wings, idling in front of the portal. A person stepped through, a tiny, precious child. "Humans?" Byakuya said, his voice guttural and inhuman.

"Fuck!" Kira cursed, struggling to keep Yammy in place. "He's going to take their dark matter."

"Like I said, I have better friends…" Yammy gloated. He exhaled and then inhaled deeply, sucking in the air with all his might.

"Byakuya, you ne-!" Kira began.

But Byakuya didn't wait for Kira's instructions or comment, whatever it was Kira was going to say. Byakuya pulled the child into the air, holding her in his arms as he sank his teeth into her throat. He ended her life quickly, discarding her body without care.

The next human stepped out of the portal. He didn't scream when Byakuya plucked him from the ground. He didn't scream as the monstrous face neared his. He was completely emptied of all thought and reason. Byakuya snapped his neck, barely wetting his lips before grabbing the next human.

"Damn it!" Yammy growled. He sucked in deeply, absorbing as much dark matter as he could manage before the life was extinguished.

Yammy turned as much as Kira would allow. He smashed his hands together and Byakuya was suddenly slammed against the floor. He was dragged along the stone, his skin and fur shedding off in sheets. Yammy motioned, forcing Byakuya against the wall.

"The blood…" Kira murmured, releasing his hold on Yammy. Kira took advantage of Yammy's distraction and ran toward the portal. He grabbed hold of the two humans standing and created his own silvery portal.

"No, you don't!" Yammy roared, charging toward Kira and the humans.

The strain was too much for him. Kira gasped, collapsing to the ground. The portal rippled and he put the remainder of his strength into it. He had to finish the portal. He had to and he did. Kira kicked the humans roughly, shoving them through the portal just as Yammy closed in on them.

"That's fine." Yammy boomed. "There's more!"

Yammy grabbed a human in his fist and began to suck out the dark matter, throwing the emptied corpse to the ground. He began to drain human after human while Kira saved every one he could manage by forcing them through his own portal.

Byakuya sat up with a hiss, blood seeping from the corners of his eyes. He flapped his wings unsurely before taking to the air. He swooped in, seizing a human from Yammy's grasp. He moved swiftly, tossing the human through Kira's portal.

The first portal fluctuated brightly, creating a nauseating strobe effect. A man walked through, tall and thin, his head held high. He hesitated at the edge of the portal, his eyes scanning the carnage of the scene in front of him. His eyes settled on Byakuya and the strangest of smiles turned up the corner of his mouth.

He stepped away from the portal and it closed behind him. Kira looked from Byakuya to Tsukishima anxiously. But it was Yammy who spoke first, "Who the fuck are you?"

"No one of import." Tsukishima said simply.

"What the fuck are you?" Yammy demanded, eyeing the unique creature with contempt.

"I'm a vampire." Tsukishima declared, as if the question was the most offensive thing he'd ever heard. "Are you the one who has ravaged my kin so?" Tsukishima asked, gesturing to Byakuya.

"I'll kill you too." Yammy decided, shrugging his shoulders. "Three on one. I still like my odds."

"You, vampire," Kira breathed. "Take this portal and leave."

Tsukishima hesitated, his long arms folding across his chest. "You're one of Aizen's kind."

"Yes." Kira panted. "But he's no friend of mine."

"Mine either." Tsukishima said simply. "He's my Master."

"You're one of Aizen's shifters? Why didn't ya say so?" Yammy shouted. "You take the vampire. I'll take this sorry excuse for a Xibalban…"

"Tsu-kishi-ma…" Byakuya growled, staggering on his feet. "This isn't your fight. Leave."

"I may not like you," Tsukishima conceded. "But you're a credit to our kind."

"Kill him." Yammy ordered, grabbing Kira by the hair.

"Oh, I've certainly tried." Tsukishima admitted.

"Don't get involved." Byakuya hissed, waving Tsukishima away with his hand. "This is bigger than our feud. There is too much at stake for you to simply join in without knowing!"

"You and the flaxen haired Master are fighting this gigantic beast." Tsukishima said, turning to watch Yammy and Kira exchange blows.

"I'll really kill you this time. My sister won't be here to help you escape." Byakuya warned as Tsukishima approached.

"Don't be stupid," Tsukishima breathed. "Vampires are strongest in the nest."

"What?" Byakuya shook his head in confusion.

"I have time to spare." Tsukishima murmured. "If you have the will to kill a Master, then I will lend you my strength."


	31. Finally! Suerte!

**_Part XXXI: Finally! Suerte!_**

"Aizen won't be pleased when he hears about this." Yammy barked, his fist connecting with Kira's stomach. Kira let out an inhuman grunt, his ears shifting into long points. Yammy hit again and again, blood gushing past Kira's lips. "This truce will cost you your life, shifter."

"This isn't a truce." Byakuya growled.

"No. It isn't." Tsukishima agreed.

"Vampire, uh, Byakuya…" Kira murmured, his brows knit together with effort. "Assistance."

Byakuya swallowed an inelegant mouthful of blood and spit. He nodded wordlessly, pushing his wounded body forward. He slashed across Yammy's forearm, rending the flesh with his twisted claws.

Tsukishima moved quickly, his long legs blurred from sight. He wound up Yammy, his fangs sinking into the exposed flesh at the back of his neck. Blood poured from the two puncture marks, steaming when it hit the stone beneath Yammy's feet.

Yammy roared in irritation. He released Kira momentarily, throwing his weight backward. He landed on the stone, crushing Tsukishima beneath his gargantuan body. Tsukishima cried out in surprise, but he was undeterred.

Tsukishima didn't release Yammy. He pierced his fingers into Yammy's flesh, as if anchoring himself. When Yammy stood, Tsukishima did too. He ignored his sickly twisted ankle. A broken bone was nothing to a vampire or a shifter.

Tsukishima ripped and tore so ferociously that Yammy was forced to his knees. He slapped his meaty hands against his back, doing his best to wrench Tsukishima away. Finally, he caught the vampire and threw him with all his might against the far wall.

Tsukishima hit the wall with a crack but Yammy had no time to be relieved. Kira had summoned rope. He tossed one end to Byakuya and the two of them clotheslined Yammy. Once on the ground, Kira rolled on top of him. He barked instructions and Byakuya obeyed immediately but his insignificant size was a terrible disadvantage.

"You're too little. You're too weak." Yammy barked, snapping the rope with a flex of his muscles. "Just die."

"I won't." Kira refused, his eyes widening as Yammy sat up. Kira slipped off of Yammy's chest and into his lap.

"You're an embarrassment to Xibalba." Yammy insulted, pinning both of Kira's wrists in one mammoth hand.

"I don't wanna hear that from you!" Kira spat, kicking two hooves into Yammy's chest. Kira flipped, rolling over and over and away from Yammy.

"He's strong." Tsukishima spoke as he stood. He wiped his clothes in disgust, looking undeniably like a phantom, his dark hair in stark contrast of his pale skin. Tsukishima gave Kira a nasty look. "Are you not capable of the same strength?"

"He's holding back." Yammy explained angrily.

"Any particular reason?" Tsukishima hissed.

"Personal convictions." Kira answered with a shrug.

"Hmm…" Tsukishima drawled thoughtfully. "Good enough for me. I'm only here to waste some time anyway."

"You think you'll leave this place?" Yammy scoffed.

"Your kind isn't indestructible." Tsukishima murmured. "I've seen it with my own eyes… a Master who was weakened by a simple favor to his shifter…"

"Enough talking!" Yammy roared. "Shut the fuck up and die!"

* * *

Ichigo didn't even have to think. It was second nature to climb and leap from branch to branch. The speed was dangerous, one false step and he would end up a splat against a tree trunk or a broken pile of bones on the forest floor. But it didn't matter. The laws of nature no longer applied to him. And so he rushed at neck breaking speed toward an impossible enemy.

It didn't matter how hard the fight was. It didn't matter how unlikely he was to win. Ichigo was the Grand Sage of the Council of Elders. How many centuries had the Council been working toward this goal? To take out even one of the _big_ Masters, that would be a miracle. If he could manage this, he could have some clout on the council. He wouldn't just be the shifter whose Master tried to, and for a time did, possess him.

Without realizing it, Ichigo had become distracted. He slowed down, a strange sensation coming over him. He gasped, finally understanding what was happening, but there was no way to stop it. He held his breath, pulling his shirt up over his nose and mouth.

"I'm in a hurry." Ichigo shouted into the woods. "I don't have time for this." There was a throaty chuckle and the sound seemed to surround the shifter. Ichigo shook his head impatiently. "I mean it. I'm in a hurry."

But it was, for the moment, much too late to stop it. Ichigo felt a familiar flush of heat. He dropped his shirt from his mouth and inhaled calmly. The air was intoxicatingly musky. Ichigo paused at the end of a branch, his toes curling around the wood as he peered down at the forest floor.

He leapt to the ground with ease, almost as if he were being lowered rather than doing the action himself. His head felt so heavy, his body so light. He kneeled in front of the tree trunk before flinging himself to the ground. He rolled in the dried leaves, his arms stretching above his head.

Ichigo sighed dreamily, twigs and grass stuck in his orange hair. The forest was suddenly sweet and warm. The ominous setting sun morphed into a pleasant autumn midday. The entire scenery transformed; a different forest, a different time, a different purpose. Ichigo was completely under Love Cervere's spell.

* * *

"He's huge." Byakuya breathed, stepping backward unconsciously.

Kira spewed blood onto the broken stone. He winced in agony, his right arm completely severed at the shoulder. With a shaking hand he took hold of Byakuya's hand. "I can't…"

"What?" Byakuya asked, pulling Kira along in his retreat. "We need to leave this room. We're too close…"

"He doesn't get bigger than that, does he?" Tsukishima asked, his eyes wide. He huddled close to Byakuya and Kira, all three backing up to the wall. The room was huge, but now Yammy nearly filled it. It was now impossible to step out of his reach. "We need an escape route."

"Knock out the wall." Byakuya instructed, nodding to Tsukishima.

"Of course." Tsukishima agreed. He turned his back on Yammy, trusting Byakuya to cover. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He punched the wall, once, twice, three times until it shook. He punched again, his knuckles bloodied and raw. He kept punching, the bones in his fingers splintering. And then the next punch succeeded, bursting through the stone.

Tsukishima pressed on. He kicked the structurally compromised wall, sending stone flying. Yammy roared in anger, striking out with his fist. "Quit fucking with me!"

Byakuya took the brunt of the blow. He rushed forward, meeting Yammy's fist half-way. He slid for yards, barely able to slow Yammy's punch, even with all of his might. It worked to their advantage, however, when Byakuya was knocked into the wall. The force of Yammy's punch destroyed the rest of the outer wall.

Kira realized belatedly the extent of the attack. He spun around, reaching for the vampire desperately. Byakuya grabbed for him, trying to scramble over Yammy's fist. But everything happened too fast. And as the stone wall collapsed, crumbling to the earth far below, Byakuya disappeared over the edge.

"Shit!" Kira gasped, peering over the edge. It was a perilous fall. And Byakuya was already severely wounded.

"I've got him." Tsukishima breathed, leaping into the air and over the edge.

"What is this going to accomplish?" Yammy asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know." Kira exclaimed in anguish. "But it was Katen's idea… And when Katen comes…"

"You're still waiting on the big three to save you." Yammy barked. "It's weakness like that that makes me sick."

"Be sick all you want." Kira snapped, his arm steaming as the flesh and bone regrew. "You'll be dead by tomorrow."

* * *

Ichigo exhaled suddenly, feeling as if he were falling. He gasped, the dried leaves crunching under him. He looked around in the dark, instantly aware of the warm body beside him. Ichigo growled, smacking his palm roughly against Grimmjow's chest. "You fucking imbecile!"

"Hey, hey!" Grimmjow protested with a smirk, blocking Ichigo's blows. "You weren't under long."

"I'm in a rush, Grimmjow!" Ichigo barked, sitting up. He ran his hands through his messy, short hair, picking out the twigs. "It's a life or death situation!"

"Calm down." Grimmjow insisted. He rolled over onto his side, plucking a leaf from Ichigo's clothes and twirling it between his fingers. "What's got under your skin anyway?"

"Byakuya and…" Ichigo began, throwing his hands into the air anxiously. "I don't have time to explain. I have to go."

"Ah, come on…" Grimmjow groaned, pulling his legs into his chest and rolling to his feet. "What are the chances we'd met so soon? You should enjoy yourself more… At least enjoy _me_ more…"

Ichigo made a face, his brown eyes narrowed furiously. "Jaegerjaquez, I will end you."

"If only you had the time, right?" Grimmjow teased. "By the way, this little fanged, blood-sucker is Rukia. Rukia this is Ichigo..."

Ichigo noticed the young woman for the first time. He looked at her with wide, unsettled eyes. "A vampire?"

"Yes." Rukia answered, tilting her small chin into the air.

"I thought you were done with vampires… Isn't that why you threw a fit and walked out?" Ichigo hissed.

"Hey now…" Grimmjow groaned. "I'm a one man show. You can't expect me to play well with others all the damn time. Don't ever forget that…"

"I've wasted enough time." Ichigo realized, shaking his head in frustration. "I'm leaving."

"Where are we going?" Grimmjow asked, gesturing Rukia to follow.

"I don't care where you go." Ichigo replied. "I have work to do."

"I can help." Grimmjow suggested.

"I need someone who can play well with others." Ichigo retorted.

"Don't be so co-o-old, Ichi…" Grimmjow shivered playfully. "So, where _are_ you going?"

"To kill a Master." Ichigo replied, scaling a tree.

"Why are you alone then?" Grimmjow asked, jumping onto the branch below Ichigo.

"Byakuya and one of the Masters went ahead." Ichigo explained, quickening his pace.

"Ah," Grimmjow breathed, running along the length of the branch. "And you…?"

"I'm the first reinforcement." Ichigo answered. "Well, I was supposed to be. You've delayed me."

"Sor-ry…" Grimmjow teased. "You're still going on about that?!"

"You're too slow." Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "I can't wait for you."

"I'll keep up." Grimmjow panted, increasing speed yet again.

"Good luck with that..." Ichigo called over his shoulder.

"Heh," Grimmjow chuckled, his fingers curving into claws. "You're fast, I admit, but I've caught ya a few times already…"

* * *

"This place is good enough." Renji murmured, lowering Orihime to the ground. He held her hand, leading her through the quiet town. "The inn's over here."

"They've got a little of everything." Jushiro whispered. "We'll have plenty of supplies."

"Here it is then." Shunsui agreed.

"Let's hurry." Renji pleaded, urging Shunsui and Jushiro to move faster.

"Good luck." Jushiro said, squeezing Shunsui's hand. "Come back."

"Good luck." Shunsui replied with a nod. "I'll be back."

"Let's go." Renji muttered impatiently.

"Hold on…" Shunsui spoke quietly. "One more minute…"

Shunsui patted Orihime's head. He kneeled in front of the child and wrapped his arms around her affectionately. "Be good. Be brave. Be patient."

"Yes, Papa." Orihime agreed, placing tender kisses into Shunsui's hair.

Shunsui stood, turning around to face Jushiro one more time. "Ukitake-san," Shunsui began unsurely. "It… It doesn't feel right going into battle without you."

"Probably because I'm a better swordsman than you." Jushiro teased half-heartedly.

"Yeah, probably…" Shunsui laughed nervously.

"I want to go home." Jushiro breathed out. "And I absolutely won't return to Japan without you. So please," Jushiro closed his eyes and swallowed. "Return to me quickly."

"I promise." Shunsui whispered, tilting Jushiro's chin upward. He kissed Jushiro softly before pulling away. "Think only of me while I'm away…"

"Always." Jushiro vowed, his hands twisting around the hem of his kimono.

"Shun-sui…" Renji whined, absolutely fed up with the other shifter. "Can you hurry your ass up?"

"Yabbe yabbe!" Shunsui snapped. "Don't wait for me then…"

"Fine." Renji shrugged, walking backward hurriedly. "I'm going. You still need to hurry your ass up."

"I'm coming…" Shunsui groaned before hastily kissing Jushiro once more. "Make sure _you_ can keep up…"

* * *

"Another portal!" Kira shouted, his eyes locked on the silvery ring of light.

"I've got it." Byakuya growled, jumping over Yammy's fist. "I've got it."

"Tsukishima…" Kira called out. "I'm going for his legs…"

"Sure. He'll just keep healing them though…" Tsukishima muttered, scaling the stone wall. He climbed swiftly onto the ceiling before dropping down on Yammy's shoulders. The Master had grown so large that Tsukishima couldn't even see the whites of his eyes from the ground. He walked along the giant's arm, narrowly missing his searching fingers. "You're a tenacious fellow."

The first human walked through the portal and into the decimated room. Byakuya twisted their neck without hesitation. "Such a waste…" Tsukishima called down to him.

"This Master has a nasty ability." Kira explained. "To control blood." Kira let out a howl as Yammy kicked him away.

"That's troublesome." Tsukishima grunted, stabbing his entire hand into the back of Yammy's neck.

Yammy, momentarily free of Kira's attacks, grabbed Tsukishima. Tsukishima's eyes bulged in shock. Yammy squeezed, crushing Tsukishima like a mosquito in his palm. He tossed what was left of Tsukishima to the ground, wrenching a human from Byakuya's grasp.

Yammy swung his leg out, knocking Byakuya away. Byakuya hit a block of stone, his back snapping with a sickening crunch. He cried out, unable to move. "Shit…" Kira moaned, crawling across the floor toward Yammy.

Yammy used the human, discarding the corpse on the littered floor. He drained another of their dark matter and then another. No one was in the position to stop him. He absorbed nearly an entire village worth of dark matter in less than a minute.

Yammy sat down suddenly, nearly mashing his throne beneath his momentous weight. He watched the three gravely injured men struggle. Each man writhed and moaned in agony, healing impossibly slow. Instead of finishing them off he merely watched, every so often grabbing a human from in front of the portal and draining them.

Tsukishima revived first. He howled miserably, his bones reforming. He finally managed to push himself onto his knees. With a hiss he stood. He staggered feebly, approaching the humans. He looked from Yammy to Byakuya and Kira, and then, without a word, he climbed through the open portal and out of sight.

"You're underestimating me." Kira barked, blood pouring from his nose.

"You've done it to yourself." Yammy replied. "You won't fight me seriously."

Kira snarled like a cornered animal. He lifted his hand and clutched his fist closed. One of the humans sailed through the air, coming to an immediate and jerking halt in front of him. He screamed incoherently, pressing his hand into the center of the man's forehead.

And in an instant the human was dead.

"You fucking asshole!" Kira shouted.

"You did that yourself…" Yammy argued with a chuckle.

"You…!" Kira screamed, flexing his hands uncontrollably. He drained the remaining humans from where he stood. His skin rippled, his eyes darkening. He began to transform.

At first his transformation resembled a skeletal horse, but then it changed, it twisted even more. His power surged, nearly causing Byakuya to retch. The skeletal horse shifted, strange black tentacles, like a giant squid, emerged from beneath.

The tentacles spread, swelling over the rubble, blood, and bones littering the floor. The horse rose up and up, the shadowy, black tentacles consuming every bit of stone it covered.

Byakuya groaned, pulling himself to his feet. He climbed up the wall, blood spurting from his lacerations. He growled in agony, holding his hand to one of the larger wounds on his abdomen. He couldn't explain how he knew, but he could _feel_ that those tentacles would hurt friend or foe.

"Finally!" Yammy cheered excitedly, blood lust filling his eyes. " _Suerte!"_


	32. Frame

**_Part XXXII: Frame_**

 _"_ _Boy," Shuren murmured softly. "You asleep?"_

 _"_ _No." Byakuya shook his head, startling awake._

 _"_ _Yes." Shuren realized with an easy laugh. "Go. Sleep."_

 _"_ _M'awake." Bykauya lied, forcing his eyes open wide._

 _Shuren's fingers combed through Byakuya's long, black hair. Shuren leaned in closely and Byakuya closed his eyes, anticipating a kiss from the older soldier. But Shuren simply pulled away, rolling back onto his back. He stared up at the starry sky and sighed. "Sleep."_

 _Byakuya wasn't sure what was happening inside of him. Was it disappointment that made his belly tingle? Was it embarrassment that he had fallen asleep first? Or perhaps he was merely curious as to what Shuren had intended to say. No matter the reason, Byakuya felt like his stomach had its own heartbeat._

 _Wide awake now, Byakuya propped his head on his folded arms. He looked up at the sky and squinted, imagining the stars were connected in whimsical designs. He felt Shuren's heavy gaze and he felt his scarred, pale cheeks flush with color. "Shuren?"_

 _"_ _Hm?" Shuren, never one to waste words, grunted._

 _"_ _I wanna fight like you." Byakuya murmured, his finger trailing along the edge of Shuren's blade that rested between them._

 _"_ _One day." Shuren replied, lifting his sword into the air. He balanced it in his hands, watching Byakuya out of the corner of his eyes. "You learn."_

 _"_ _How?" Byakuya asked, creeping closer._

 _"_ _I teach." Shuren explained, slicing the air with his blade. "You become better than me."_

 _"_ _If I fight," Byakuya whispered. "Do I get horse?"_

 _Shuren laughed, dropping his sword between them. He rolled onto his side, his bare muscles flexing attractively. He shook his head, his hand ruffling through Byakuya's hair. "Nuh uh."_

 _"_ _Why?" Byakuya demanded, furrowing his brows. He pouted, his youthful face rather humorous to behold._

 _"_ _One horse." Shuren barked. "Mine."_

 _Byakuya snorted in disapproval. He sank back into the grass, turning away from Shuren as much as possible without rolling completely over. Shuren trundled Byakuya over forcibly. He peered into the young boy's face as he spoke. "You take horse, both leave. I keep horse, you stay."_

 _Byakuya nodded unsurely. And then he realized he was insulted, "I don't leave."_

 _"_ _You stay?" Shuren mused, smiling._

 _"_ _I don't leave." Byakuya repeated firmly. "I don't run."_

 _"_ _Like a man." Shuren nodded in approval. "Men stay and fight."_

The memory hit Byakuya hard. Tsukishima had left. He saw an opportunity to escape and he did. This wasn't his fight. These weren't his friends or his enemies. He had no reason to help at all. Tsukishima had _left_. Byakuya couldn't even process it for several bewildering seconds.

Byakuya clung to the wall in exhaustion as the two Masters squared off in the center of the room. He needed to assist Kira, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't convince himself to leave his temporarily safe perch. He closed his eyes, willing the nausea away. It was cowardly and weak to run away. A real man would be down there, attacking the Master with a fresh wave of violence.

But a _real_ man also would've died being thrown against the wall, or dropped from the tower, or crushed by stone. A _real_ man wouldn't have to keep getting up and getting up, no matter the pain or obstacle. It had been centuries since he was a _real_ man.

"Kira…" Byakuya called out, a glimmer of light attracting his attention. "It's another portal."

"Don't… mind… it…" Kira growled, his demonic voice making Byakuya's stomach clench. "Stay… out of… my way…"

Byakuya felt relief and then felt terrible because of it. He was glad Kira didn't want his aid, because he didn't want to be around the Master. Not since he killed those humans, not since he changed. The realization gutted Byakuya. He was a monster, what made Kira so much worse?

Kira didn't want to be like this. Kira had abstained for so long. How much of the fight had been lost because of Kira's reluctance? And for what? Kira lost control of himself. Kira had become intoxicated by the sudden, intense power.

"Hurry…" Byakuya murmured, closing his eyes and willing the shifters to move faster. "Hurry… Hurry…"

Yammy charged forward with a roar, but the tentacles wrapped around him, squeezing him brutally. Yammy tore at the tentacles, ripping them off of his body in disgust. For every tentacle he burst another took its place. It was an endless barrage of overwhelming numbers against brute strength.

The portal materialized completely and Byakuya knew he had to do something. It was his mission to stop Yammy from obtaining more dark matter, but it was his moral duty, as an ally-if not a friend, to keep Kira from continuing to absorb it himself.

Byakuya dropped from his perch. He hit the stone roughly, jarring his bones uncomfortably. He pushed against the wall for balance, hurrying toward the portal with purpose. The instant a human stepped through both Masters would be all over them, fighting for the chance to rob them of their dark matter.

"Stay back…" Kira warned. His tentacles enveloped Yammy for a few victorious seconds before Yammy managed to break free, yet again. Kira watched the portal with interest. He clearly planned on taking the dark matter all for himself.

"Let me." Byakuya insisted, creeping toward the portal. "I will deal with the humans."

* * *

"We're here." Grimmjow announced unnecessarily.

Ichigo could only stare at the decimated estate. It looked like a stadium or a grand arena. It was expansive and imposing but it was also crumbling. Ichigo inhaled deeply, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What sort of creature lives here?" Rukia asked, covering her mouth.

"A Master." Grimmjow answered.

"I've got to get in there…" Ichigo murmured, realizing he had stopped walking.

"It's quiet." Grimmjow said in warning.

Ichigo nodded. It was true. Everything was still and silent. If it weren't for the dizzying amount of power seeping into the air Ichigo would have thought it was abandoned. He steeled his nerves and forced himself closer to the estate.

"Hey…" Grimmjow called after him. "How far behind do you think the wolf cub and monkey-snake are?"

"No clue." Ichigo admitted.

"Think you should wait?" Grimmjow suggested, fighting the urge to grab Ichigo's arm and drag him back to safety.

"I can't wait." Ichigo said simply. "Byakuya and that Master are already in there…"

"It's so quiet." Grimmjow hinted. "It doesn't sound like there's a fight going on…"

"Yeah." Ichigo breathed, his stomach a messy knot of nerves.

"Yo, Ichi…" Grimmjow announced. "I think you should wait."

"I can't wait." Ichigo repeated.

"Why not?" Grimmjow growled anxiously.

"I think he's right…" Rukia murmured, her large eyes wide. "There's no telling what you'll come across in there…"

"Stop." Ichigo groaned, holding his head in his hands. He inhaled slowly, exhaling nervously. "I don't have an option. Renji-"

"Renji will be here shortly and then we can all go inside…" Grimmjow suggested.

"Renji wouldn't wait for me." Ichigo said, finding his resolve. "If y-you were inside… If you were in danger… He would go inside…"

"What are you talking about?" Grimmjow groaned.

"I'm going in." Ichigo decided, trekking forward.

"Ichi…" Grimmjow drawled, his blue eyes closing tightly. "Damn it." Grimmjow cracked his knuckles and jogged to catch up with Ichigo. "I'm coming too."

"I can't protect you." Ichigo warned.

"Don't be such an idiot." Grimmjow snickered. "I'm going to protect you."

"You can't do that either…" Ichigo muttered.

"You should come with us too, Lady Fang." Grimmjow called over his shoulder. "Your brother's inside after all…"

"If we happen to die in there…" Ichigo began unsurely.

"Yeah, yeah. I know…" Grimmjow said with an impish grin. "You can't fucking get enough of me."

"That's not what I was gonna say." Ichigo insisted.

"Oh, sorry. Go ahead…" Grimmjow replied.

"I just wanted to say…" Ichigo continued.

"Yeah. I feel the same way, I'll miss my dick too." Grimmjow finished, smirking mischievously.

"Oh, never mind!" Ichigo declared, shaking his head. "Dumbass."

"Say what you will but you're not so scared anymore, are ya?" Grimmjow questioned, his blue eyes meeting Ichigo's.

"If I were you," Ichigo barked. "I would die of embarrassment."

"And if I were you, I'd stay in bed all day and-"

"Shit! Move!" Ichigo hissed, knocking Grimmjow over.

A huge chunk of stone fell from the building, smashing the earth with unforgiving violence. Ichigo's heart pounded in his chest, his throat dry and painful. He looked around, panic twisting his stomach into knots. "Grimmjow? Grimmjow!"

"Over here." Grimmjow muttered, climbing to his feet.

"What's the meaning of this?" Rukia asked. "It's like it was thrown… but there's nothing… There's nothing here, is there?"

"Something's strange." Ichigo admitted, stepping toward Grimmjow slowly.

"Whaddaya mean?" Grimmjow asked, peering at the dilapidated estate.

"Let's get inside." Ichigo instructed. "It's not safe here with this falling debris."

Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow's hand, his skin rippling out of view. The invisibility spread as Grimmjow disappeared. Ichigo wrapped his other hand around Rukia's, pulling both of them after him. He could see them, but it appeared they couldn't see him. They ran quickly, him leading the other two as they ran blindly toward the estate.

They found themselves in the cellar. They climbed the stairs and then spread out, searching for another chamber. "Over here." Rukia called out. "They're this way. I can smell them."

"I can't smell a damn thing…" Grimmjow spat.

"Trust me." Rukia breathed.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo said, licking his lips. "Give us some cover."

"Sure, thing." Grimmjow replied. "Don't breathe, bloodsucker."

"Okay." Rukia nodded in understanding.

"Wait!" Ichigo hissed. "I hear something…" He held his arm out, blocking Rukia and Grimmjow from progressing around the corner.

"It's the Masters…" Ichigo realized, pressing his back against the wall.

"Let me…" A twisted voice moaned hungrily. "I must… I must have more…"

"Kira! No!" Another voice shouted. "Kira… Kira… It's-"

"Let's go." Grimmjow said, nodding his head excitedly.

"Wait. Stop!" Ichigo hissed. "What's that noise?"

"Who cares?" Grimmjow barked. "The Master helping you is alive. We need to get in there and keep it that way."

There was a terrible crash. Stones rumbled, the entire estate shaking from side to side. "Earthquake?" Rukia asked, her eyes wide with terror.

Unable to stand by any longer, Grimmjow rushed around the corner, down the hall and into the enormous throne room. He watched in absolute disbelief as the entire room reconstructed. The broken walls rebuilt, the blood and putrid black slime evaporated.

"What…?" Ichigo breathed out in awe.

One moment they were staring at a terrible horse, tentacles writhing beneath it, and a skyscraping giant. The next moment the room was empty save a large man sitting on his throne. Ichigo shook his head, his stomach dropping.

The ceiling collapsed, stone flying in every direction as Kira and Byakuya fell through. They climbed to their feet, brushing their clothes off fearlessly. " _Suerte_." The seated giant muttered.

"Brother!" Rukia gasped, rushing into the room.

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted, his fingertips grasping for her arm. But she slipped from his reach.

"Brother!" Rukia repeated, running toward the vampire.

"Ohhh… Goodbye, crazy bitch…" Grimmjow whistled lowly.

Rukia ran straight through her brother. She turned around, waving her hand through his afterimage. She shook her head in confusion, reaching out, again and again to touch Byakuya. She looked toward Ichigo and Grimmjow in shock. "What does this mean?"

"I… I don't know…" Ichigo wheezed.

* * *

"Orihime?" Jushiro sat up, feeling the empty space beside him in bed. He swiveled his legs over the side of the mattress and stood. "Orihime?"

Jushiro scanned the hotel room, a deep, painful dread seeping into his heart. "Orihime! This isn't funny… Orihime! Orihime, where are you?"

Jushiro didn't bother dressing. He grabbed his swords, checking under the bed and every corner of the small room. He let out a small gasp and ran from the room. He banged his fist along the wall as he walked, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Orihime! Orihime!"

Jushiro's heart pounded unnaturally fast. He couldn't breathe. Every second was more unbearable than the previous. "Orihime! Please! Answer me!"

And that was when he felt it. There was an urgent pull in the center of his belly. He turned, walking rapidly from the tavern and outside. His bare feet padded against the wooden porch and he followed his instinct, striding out into the street and down the road.

"Orihime!" Jushiro called out. "Come to me, Orihime!"

A glimmer of silver caught his attention. Jushiro's grip tightened around the hilts of his swords and he ran toward the light. He bit down roughly, blood dripping down his lip and over his chin. "Fuck."

He dropped to the ground on his hands and knees. He reached out carefully, his fingers skirting along the edges of the portal. He didn't know for sure, but he thought. He swallowed thickly, his options racing around in his mind. There was something inside of him that urge him forward. Some part of him wanted to enter the portal.

Jushiro stood, holding a sword firmly in each hand. He inhaled deeply, a sort of delirious calm settling into his bones. He nodded in acceptance, realizing what he must do. And then without a second of further hesitation, he stepped through the portal.

* * *

The moment she passed through the portal she released a blood-curdling scream. She held her hands out in front of her defensively, her skin blanching pure white. She backed away in horror, knocking into the humans pushing through the portal behind her.

She was the first and only human who'd reacted. Byakuya's hands paused at her throat and then he gasped. He recognized this child. The carroty hair, the round cheeks, the sweet, brown eyes. "Orihime?"

"Let me…" Kira moaned hungrily. "I must… I must have more…"

"Kira! No!" Byakuya shouted, his arms wrapping tightly around Orihime. He cradled her preciously, his eyes darting from Kira to Yammy in desperation. "Kira… Kira… It's Orihime…"

"Or-i-hi-me…" Kira murmured, his skin flushing as he absorbed dark matter from another human victim.

"Yes." Byakuya nodded his head, climbing upward to safety as quickly as possible. He dug his claws and feet into the stone, letting her rest against his chest. "Shunsui and Ukitake-san's human child… Orihime…"

"B-By-B-ya-ku-ku-y-y-ya…" Orihime's teeth chattered. She was paralyzed by fear, her skin crawling everywhere that touched Byakuya's exposed skin.

"Why?" Byakuya breathed, unable to communicate with the child. They shared no language. "Why are you here?"

"I don't wanna die…" Orihime cried, her entire body shaking.

Byakuya cursed himself. There was no way to comfort the human. And even if he could, there were two absolutely gluttonous Masters below who both wished to drain her of her life. Byakuya closed his eyes, trying to come up with a rapid solution.

A tentacle brushed across Byakuya's lower back and he nearly lost his grip in surprise. Tentacles wrapped around him tightly, and, despite himself, his heart pounded wildly in his chest. Kira had no problem ripping his claws from the stone and rolling him back toward the ground. Byakuya held onto Orihime tightly, contemplating if he should end her suffering at once or not.

"Or-i-hi-me…" Kira repeated, forcing Byakuya's arms apart with his tentacles.

"Stop… Kira…" Byakuya gasped, his broken, wounded body finding it impossible to resist. "Don't hurt her…"

"You can't protect her." Kira said, his skin rippling as he transformed. He lowered Byakuya to the ground as he morphed back into his human form. He held Orihime's hand, dropping her to her feet.

"Kira?" Orihime cried, rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "I don't know where I am…"

"Shhhhh…" Kira murmured, wiping the tears from her dirtied cheeks.

"Kira, we've got to get her out of here!" Byakuya demanded, afraid to even look in Yammy's direction.

"Wait." Kira instructed calmly. "The human is coming. Once he enters I will seal it."

"Seal what?" Byakuya shook his head in confusion.

"I will seal the frame."

"Frame?" Byakuya sank onto his knees in exhaustion.

"I cannot fight much longer." Kira admitted. "You cannot fight alone. Neither of us can protect this child."

The portal rippled and Jushiro stepped through, his swords slashing expertly. "Orihime!"

"Daddy!" Orihime cried out, reaching with her arms.

Jushiro ignored Yammy, brazenly cutting through the mire and corpse-ridden floor. "I'm coming. Stay there…"

"Okay…" Orihime cried, covering her face.

"Ah, he's arrived." Kira sighed in relief. "It's over for us. Our part is done."

"What are you planning?" Byakuya demanded, turning to look at Kira.

"This will be the last of my strength…" Kira admitted, licking his lips. "Katen will have to take over when he arrives…"

"Katen?"

"It is sealed." Kira muttered, dropping to his knees.


	33. A Small Seed-Like Stone

**_Part XXXIII: A Small Seed-like Stone_**

No matter how many times Ichigo explained, Renji could not absorb the information.

The scene replayed again and again, this time it was a particularly brutal moment. Ichigo looked away as Byakuya's wings were torn yet again. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do."

"Why are you out here?" Renji demanded, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Renji. You can't do anything." Ichigo tried to explain, but Renji was already moving.

"Where's the wolf pup?" Grimmjow asked, following Renji hurriedly into the throne room. "Eh, be careful. They can't see or hear ya but those rocks could still smash you to bits…"

Renji touched Byakuya and, as his hand passed through, Grimmjow thought he saw something break in Renji's expression. This wasn't the first time he had tried to touch him but, just like the last time, it was a failure.

"It's been like this since we got here." Ichigo repeated again gently. "Kira did something. He said he sealed something until someone could show up and take over… It just keeps repeating, over and over."

"Fuck." Renji rasped, dropping into a squat.

"It gets worse." Grimmjow breathed. "Samurai-san and the human kid are stuck in it too."

"What? That's not possible… We left them…" Renji could barely breathe. He gulped for air, his throat closing up painfully.

"Where is Shunsui?" Ichigo demanded, trying to remain patient with his shocked friend.

"He's on his way." Renji choked out. "I left him. He was too slow."

"My brother is a survivor." Rukia spoke up suddenly. "If there's a way out he'll find it."

"I just… I just can't understand…" Renji groaned miserably. "They're _right there."_

"We need to be thinking." Ichigo said stiffly. "I've never seen anything like this. I have no idea how to make it stop. But if it stops somehow, what then? We've got to come up with a plan for Yammy."

"Eat him." Grimmjow suggested seriously. Ichigo gave him a look that clearly said where he could shove that suggestion. Grimmjow scoffed, rolling his shoulders back in annoyance. "Oh, I'm sorry; I forgot you're a fancy, dandy shifter who doesn't get his teeth dirty…"

"We can't eat him, Grimmjow." Ichigo barked.

"I disagree." Grimmjow breathed out. "See, that's kinda how I fight people. You know that. But suddenly you're too good for that. Your blood is just as feral as mine, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Stop it." Ichigo snapped. "Are you stupid? Didn't you hear what Kira told Byakuya? 'Don't drink the blood'. Well what the hell would eating him do?"

"We can't die." Grimmjow retorted, shrugging again. It was evident that Grimmjow hadn't understood the implication of the words they'd heard Kira utter over and over again.

"We can't die peacefully. We can't die naturally. We can't die with dignity…" Ichigo corrected, his voice strained by stress. "But we sure as hell can die, Grimmjow."

"Be quiet." Renji muttered, covering his head with his hands.

"Look. You're upsetting your Snake-Monkey…" Grimmjow taunted, rolling his eyes at Ichigo.

"They have to be here." Renji decided, pushing to his feet. " _This_ is like a hallucination, right? So where are they? There should be a vampire, two Masters, and two humans… If they were doing it over and over, we could touch them, right? Maybe… Maybe they're cloaked. Think, Ichigo. You're the closest thing to a Master I know…"

"What? Why me?" Ichigo asked, shaking his head.

"Because you've been there! You should've died but you didn't… What if they're invisible? What if they have the same ability you do?" Renji pressed in desperation.

"I don't see anyone." Ichigo said gently, his stomach twisting into regretful knots.

"They didn't just disappear." Renji insisted. "Damn it. They're somewhere."

"He's here." Rukia said, lifting her head. "Something incredibly strong."

"It's the wolf pup." Grimmjow added a second later.

"Protect yourselves." Ichigo warned suddenly. "When he finds out Jushiro is here… things will get dangerous…"

Shunsui was half-transformed when he burst from the hallway. His transformation looked painful and involuntary. Every inch of his skin was steaming. He clutched the wall for a moment before entering the throne room. He looked around, his throat bobbing as he swallowed thickly.

"Shunsui…" Renji called out anxiously.

"Yeah," Shunsui breathed out, his voice deep and inhuman. "I know."

"Kira said something about a seal and a frame…" Ichigo began to explain. "If you wait a moment you'll hear everything yourself…"

"I know." Shunsui barked, the bones in his leg crushing beneath his increasing weight.

"How do you know?" Ichigo asked, shaking his head.

"Kira told me." Shunsui groaned, dropping to the floor in agony. He panted loudly, spit foaming from the corner of his bleeding mouth. His jaw dislocated and snapped, the bone elongating into a muzzle.

"Before ya get too stupid to talk," Grimmjow called out, his solid voice unusually frayed. "Your swordsman's here, the kid too. They're in danger, pup."

"I know." Shunsui shouted, fur spreading across his back. "Kira told me that too."

"When did you talk to Kira?" Ichigo asked, not really expecting an answer.

Shunsui let out a pained cry, his entire body shuddering on the floor. He lifted his head and forced out a single warning, "Move."

The entire room exploded. Blood, bone, and sickening black sludge permeated every surface. The smell of death was so overwhelming that Ichigo and Renji began to retch. Grimmjow covered his mouth with his shirt, his impressive sense of smell definitely a crippling disadvantage. Grimmjow looked toward the vampire, but she was already crawling up the wall to a safer position.

It was enough to make a grown man's blood curdle. Over the roar of death and despair there was a tiny, pitiful scream. Grimmjow jumped into action, wading through knee deep, gore-filled foam. There was a harsh pulse and Grimmjow felt as if his heart had stopped. He could barely walk, the resistance was so strong. He pushed forward, his skin burning every place the sludge touched.

"Kira!" Byakuya shouted, looking around the room in confusion. He reached for Orihime but he was stopped, thick, black tentacles twisting around his arms. "Kira!"

Jushiro was ill. His chest heaved up and down miserably. He gasped for air; his pale skin blanched the color of death. He tried to stand, his fingers brushing through the ends of Orihime's hair.

"Orihime…" Grimmjow shouted, wondering why the hell he was getting involved in this mess. "Jushiro!"

"Stay back, Grimmjow…" Kira growled, a slimy, black tendril curling around Grimmjow's waist. "This is not your fight."

"It's you…" Grimmjow murmured, recognizing the Master. Grimmjow struggled, his claws erupting from the end of his fingers, but Kira showed no sign of pain as he moved Grimmjow out of the way, dropping him to the floor of the hallway.

"Where is he?" Yammy roared unbelievably slow, finally collecting himself. He looked worn, exhausted. He was much larger than any natural thing on Earth, but he had shrunk drastically from when Byakuya had last seen him. His motions were peculiar and sluggish. "Where is Katen?"

"Kira, Yammy's up!" Byakuya shouted, the violent hold around his wrists nearly breaking them. "Let go!"

"Ichigo," Kira called out, shifting to the side slowly as if any bit of movement caused him pain. "Take the humans." Ichigo nodded slowly, but he couldn't move. His feet were frozen in place. "Ichigo," Kira drawled as softly as he could manage. "Come now. Take the humans."

Yammy began to move, but barely. It took a few moments before Byakuya realized that Yammy was not the same. Somehow, due to Kira's power, Yammy was moving in slow motion. Kira didn't need to say a word for Byakuya to know it wouldn't last much longer.

Several tentacles wrapped around Jushiro and Orihime, squirming their way over their skin and around their limbs. Kira lowered them in front of Ichigo. Ichigo grabbed Orihime tightly, tossing her arms over his neck. He reached for Jushiro, catching him before he sank to the ground.

"Fast." Kira said, looking around the room. "Go fast."

Byakuya understood it at that moment. Everything in the room was moving in slow motion except Kira. Only Ichigo, with his unbelievable speed, could run under these circumstances. Shunsui was caught mid-air, his impressive form poised for attack. Yammy was able to move, barely, but Byakuya hoped he wouldn't be fast enough to catch Ichigo. Renji was crouched on the ground, in the process of jumping to his feet. Grimmjow was in the hallway, safe for now. And Rukia was up high, scaling the walls like she were a mere insect.

"Shunsui…" Kira gasped, releasing his hold on Byakuya. "I'm finished."

And time caught up. Yammy punched the ground, upsetting the stone where Jushiro and Orihime had been moments before. Yammy growled in disappointment, straightening up. "Where is Katen Kyokotsu?!"

"Kira." Byakuya grunted, catching the slender man in his battered arms. He didn't look like a monster and his sudden change of appearance was enough to make Byakuya inhale sharply. Kira looked human, beautiful, delicate, fragile…

"Katen! _Suerte_! Finally!" Yammy boomed, catching his first glimpse of Shunsui below him. Shunsui was fully transformed, looking less like a wolf and exactly like a nightmare.

"My name is Shunsui Kyoraku." Shunsui breathed out, his vocal folds no longer human.

"This time my name is Yammy." Yammy announced, stepping forward. "Why'd ya pick a fight, Shunsui?"

"No talking." Shunsui growled, a wave of shadowy blackness pooling out from beneath his feet.

"Grab Renji…" Kira instructed, gripping Byakuya's arm. "Make sure the human makes it out… No matter what…"

"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya murmured, dropping his head. "If I could move, I would've done it long ago."

"We have to move." Kira insisted.

"I got ya." Renji breathed out, tossing Kira over his shoulder. Without hesitating, he reached down and pulled Byakuya over his other shoulder. He stood with a grunt and turned, making his way toward the hallway where Grimmjow stood.

Yammy's fist flung outward, slamming violently into the archway of the throne room. The stone shook and with a groan the arch started crumbling down. Huge chunks of stone rained down and Grimmjow had only moments to react. He reached out for Ichigo, willing the other shifter forward, but Ichigo wasn't going to make it. Grimmjow cursed angrily and jumped back, disappearing behind the fallen stone.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo shouted, fearing for the other's safety.

"We're trapped." Jushiro breathed out, dropping to his feet. He grabbed his swords reflexively, pressing his hand against the barrier of rock. The rock shifted and groaned and Ichigo pulled him back sharply.

"Not necessarily." Ichigo murmured, adjusting Orihime on his back. He pointed toward the decimated wall of the estate. They were too high up to jump, but the way was open if they could manage to get there. "That's an exit."

"Take her." Jushiro said quickly. "Get her out."

"Yeah." Ichigo agreed, nodding his head quickly.

Renji growled in frustration. There was nowhere safe to take Kira and Byakuya. He continued through the sludge, his pants sticking painfully to his burning skin. He did his best to ignore it, he would heal.

"Put me down, over there…" Kira murmured faintly, lifting a single finger to point.

"You're gonna have to get a hell of a lot bigger to fight me, Shunsui…" Yammy shouted, chortling to himself.

The gruesome wolf-man stood on two legs. It stood in place, seething with rage. It was well beyond the size of a normal man but nowhere near the size of the mammoth Master before it. The wolf howled, an earsplitting, floor-quaking sound that sent a chill down every spine.

And then the wolf was on Yammy. He slashed with his deadly claws, sinking his teeth into Yammy's throat. Yammy shouted, his huge fist connecting with the side of the animal. But the wolf was undeterred; it scrambled back to its feet, scratching up Yammy's legs and torso to his neck.

"We must help him." Jushiro exclaimed, unsheathing his swords.

"Jushiro, stay back." Kira instructed. "Those shadows…"

"Shit." Renji breathed out, realizing that he couldn't in good conscience leave Shunsui to fight this monster alone.

"He's using too much… dark matter…" Kira realized, sliding down Renji's shoulder to his feet. "To maintain that form…"

"Where are you going?" Renji asked, grabbing Kira around the elbow.

"To help." Kira whispered, pinching Renji's nose gently between his fingers. "I don't think he knows what he's doing."

"Don't be an idiot. You're too injured." Renji snapped. "Let me move you and Byakuya somewhere safer and I'll be right there to help him."

They had been too distracted to see Yammy's next attack. The Earth seemed to splinter, the stone beneath them flying in every direction. There was a second of calm and then the floor gave way, sending them all crashing to the level beneath.

Ichigo's stomach lurched, he cursed, feeling Orihime's hold loosen. He twisted awkwardly, catching the young girl on his chest. They fell and fell, bits of stone pounding their bodies mercilessly from above. Orihime gasped, her eyes wide with fear. "Ichi-"

"Ooompf...!" Ichigo grunted, his motion suddenly ceasing. His back broke against the stone beneath him, his body convulsed, strange, pink-tinged foam leaking from the corners of his mouth.

"Ichigo?" Orihime cried out, the impact traveling through him and, more subtly, shaking her frail structure. Her teeth chattered, her head spinning dizzingly. She touched Ichigo's face, her chest tightening as fresh, red blood dripped from his nose.

"Or-i-hi-me…" Ichigo choked out, his beautiful skin turning a deathly grey. He lifted his arms weakly, by sheer willpower, covering her head with his hands. "Watch… out…"

Stones fell on top of them, pummeling them both brutally. Ichigo kept his hands over her head protectively, even as the debris damaged him further. A large, course rock hit his face and his body slackened beneath her. His arms were tight and rigid, guarding her in a death grip.

The room began to settle. Dust covered every inch. Dust filled the air, choking the breath from her lungs. She looked down at Ichigo and shivered in fright. His eyes were open but unseeing, his chest didn't move up and down. She tried to sit up, but between the debris and Ichigo's arms she was caged in. She struggled valiantly, trying her best not to inflict more damage on the shifter beneath her.

"Orihime!" Jushiro cried out. "Where are you?! Orihime!"

"Da-, ack! Ack!" Orihime coughed. "Ov'r 'ere!"

Ichigo's eyes fluttered, his long, black lashes rubbing together audibly. His jaw twitched, his eyes slowly focusing. He had revived. His face twisted sharply, agony sinking its teeth into him all at once. He let out a strangled cry, his eyes closing tightly.

"Orihime!" Jushiro shouted. "Ori-"

But Jushiro's words were drowned out by the roar of the mammoth Master. The floor groaned as Yammy jumped down from the demolished room above. He looked around quickly, plucking Orihime up and into the air like a flower.

"Orihime!" Ichigo shouted, his repairing lungs barely sustaining his breath.

"Orihime…" Jushiro whispered, taken in completely by shock.

"Damn it, Cero…!" Kira growled, standing up. "Damn you."

"Wabisuke, just die." Yammy spat. Orihime screamed in terror, her throat ripping from the abusive overuse. "Don't be so loud, human. That's troublesome."

"She's unique." Kira warned. "You won't get any useful dark matter off of her. Let her go."

"Unique, huh?" Yammy mused, forcing Orihime's face toward him with a single finger. "Does 'unique' taste good?"

Shunsui slashed across Yammy's knee. He tore at the flesh viciously, carving huge chunks out with his claws. Yammy bellowed, his hand wrapping tightly around Orihime.

"Stop! He'll crush her!" Kira screamed in panic.

"Is this little thing important?" Yammy asked, tilting her from side to side. "Why'd you make her so breakable then?"

Shunsui looked around, Ichigo was down. Grimmjow was missing. Rukia was missing. Renji was impaled by a strip of metal. Byakuya was too weakened to do anything more than sit up. Jushiro looked like death on two legs. And Kira, Kira was well beyond his limit.

"Shunsui…" Jushiro yelled, dropping to his knees. "Do something!"

"Shunsui!" Kira shouted.

"What?!" Shunsui snarled, feeling overwhelmed.

"It'll be okay." Kira said with a nod. "I'll get him down, you finish him off."

"Okay…" Shunsui breathed out unsurely.

Kira closed his eyes, staggering slightly on his feet. He opened up the small pouch on his hip, taking out a small seed-like stone. It suddenly appeared as if he was bathed in a bright light and then he disappeared. It all happened so fast, even Shunsui wasn't sure what he was seeing.

Where Kira had stood moments before, Orihime collapsed. Her muffled cries were like music to Shunsui's ears. She was alive. She would be okay. Shunsui looked up, his stomach clenching to discover Kira in Yammy's hand.

Yammy squeezed, bringing Kira to his mouth without even realizing the switch had taken place. Kira pushed something into his own mouth, swallowing dutifully. Shunsui felt a strange tingle in his chest, a peculiar flicker of morbid recognition.

Yammy bit down, tearing Kira's body in two. The sound was awful. As long as they all lived they would never hear a more grisly sound. Yammy chewed leisurely, crunching the skull pointedly between his back teeth.

Orihime screamed in terror. She stood and ran, distancing herself from the flesh-eating giant as quickly as possible. Yammy made a face, realizing, finally, that the human was not the victim he had begun feasting on.

"Kir-a…" Yammy murmured, concern etched into his rugged face.

It was incredibly slow. Shunsui felt every single pump of his heart, as if it were a countdown. He rushed Yammy, but still, everything was so slow. He licked his lips, scrambling up Yammy's body.

Yammy spit in disgust, flesh and gore spewing from between his thick lips. He released Kira's torn body from his grip, Kira's lower stomach and legs flipping over and over until it splattered against the ground. Yammy doubled over, his massive finger digging into his mouth. "What? No… What have you…?"

Shunsui didn't know what to do. So he didn't think. He let instinct take over, his body moving of its own accord. He focused all of his energy into one punch, sending Yammy flying into the far wall.

Byakuya watched curiously as Kira's wretchedly broken body began to dematerialize. His skin flaked off, turning to dust in the air. In seconds the only thing remaining was fabric, and then nothing at all. Byakuya swallowed painfully, Kira's existence was gone.

Yammy growled, doing his best to fend off Shunsui's rabid, nonstop attacks. There was another pained roar as Jushiro's blade pierced his stomach. Jushiro stabbed ruthlessly, standing on the hilt of his blades to reach even deeper into the giant's body.

Shunsui didn't understand why his arms shook. He didn't understand why he was swallowed by grief. He struck Yammy over and over, putting every bit of himself behind every punch. He heard a crack and he pressed on, slamming his fist through Yammy's skull.

Yammy's skin began to peel off in sheets, his blood evaporating the moment it touched the air. But Shunsui still didn't let up. He beat Yammy's head in, not even sure where this brutal strength came from. He let it out, wailing on Yammy until there was nothing left.

"They're gone." Renji said, stepping forward, his hand pressed to his stomach.

"What happened?" Jushiro asked, inspecting his mysteriously unbloodied blades.

"Are… they… dead…?" Ichigo pressed anxiously, finally pushing himself into a sitting position.

"Damn it." Shunsui croaked, sinking to his knees. "Damn it."

"The blood," Rukia breathed out, dropping to the floor limberly. "Almost all of it, it's gone."

"He sacrificed himself for the child." Byakuya murmured, unmoving.

"Damn it." Shunsui repeated, shaking his head.

"I think he knew it would come to this." Byakuya continued. "He was very adamant about her staying behind."

"Shut up." Shunsui groaned, his bleeding knuckles pulsating.

"I fought beside him." Byakuya pressed, feeling an uncomfortable tightness in his chest. "He was strong. Much stronger than his opponent."

"Give me a minute." Shunsui pleaded.

"He spoke of you with reverence." Byakuya explained. "Almost lovingly."

"Byakuya…" Ichigo interjected in warning.

"I watched him get beaten down again and again and yet he stood!" Byakuya's voice grew in volume. "Why now? What happened? I don't understand!"

"I don't know." Shunsui cried, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Please… just stop… I'm… I'm in pain…"

And he was. He couldn't explain it. The moment he heard Kira's voice inside his head, the moment Kira explained the situation, it was a flood of emotions. Kira was his friend. Shunsui shook his head, letting the tears fall unchecked. It was impossible, but every piece of him ached with grief.

"Shunsui…" Jushiro breathed out, kneeling beside Shunsui in concern.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." Shunsui sobbed, his head brushing against the stone beneath him. "I… I… can't stop…"

"Where's Kira?" Orihime asked, tugging on Ichigo's torn and bloodied clothes.

"He's gone." Ichigo replied gently, stroking the young girl's hair.

"But he was just here." Orihime argued, her brows knitting together in confusion. "He's so strong."

"Does she know?" Byakuya asked, unable to understand their conversation. "Does she know that a creature that lived nearly a dozen millennia died for her sake?"

"Stop it." Ichigo scolded. "Leave her alone."

"She deserves to know. It's not cruelty…" Byakuya snapped. "It simply means he deemed her worthy enough to leave her own mark."

"But is he really gone?" Renji asked, finally releasing his stomach. "It's just so… sudden."

"Papa, are you hurt?" Orihime asked, placing her hand on Shunsui's shoulder.

Shunsui groaned miserably, covering his head with his hands. He willed himself to stop uselessly, the thirsty stone soaking up his pool of salty tears. He shook his head, the warmth of her hand spreading comfortably throughout his being.

"Are you sad?" Orihime asked.

"Uh huh." Shunsui admitted, big fat tears dripping off his lashes.

"So… Kira is really gone?" Orihime choked out in disbelief.

"Yeah." Shunsui murmured, his chest throbbing with unspeakable sorrow.

"It's okay, Papa." Orihime breathed out, sniffling loudly. "He was definitely good enough to get into Heaven."

"I don't believe in such a place." Shunsui said bitterly.

"It's okay," Orihime promised, letting her tears stream down her cheeks. "He still gets to go."


	34. The Sting of Battle Felt Like Defeat

**_Part XXXIV: The Sting of Battle Felt Like Defeat_**

They had felt the sting of battle and it felt like defeat.

Utter, incomprehensible defeat.

Defeat that sank into their bones and twisted their organs mercilessly, as if squeezed between cruel fingers.

This was not a victory.

This battle, this defeat would haunt them.

* * *

And just like that, two immense corpora of power were extinguished.

"Coyote."

Coyote looked up slowly. "Yes, Master?"

Aizen was on top of Coyote in an instant, choking the shifter with both hands. He shook Coyote sharply, the shifter sliding to the floor in the struggle. Coyote wriggled beneath Aizen, but never once did he raise his hands to stop the Master from strangling him. "I hate him." Aizen declared, his eyes wide. "I hate him."

"Master?" Coyote barely managed to mutter. He looked toward the other side of the room, Ginjo's eyes meeting his briefly. Ginjo looked away guiltily, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shunsui." Aizen breathed out before releasing Coyote and straightening up.

"What was that?" Ginjo asked, staring out the window. "That power…"

"That was…" Aizen paused, a heavy darkness crossing over his handsome face. "My people." Aizen sat down in the large chair that suddenly appeared behind him. He crossed his legs, letting his head drop against the padded back.

Ginjo considered Aizen for a lengthy moment before nodding. "The fight is over."

"Yes." Aizen nodded, closing his eyes.

"I take it that it didn't go well for your side?" Ginjo mused, unconcerned.

"Ginjo." Coyote warned, rubbing his bruising neck. "Shut up."

"I should have sent one of you." Aizen sighed. "I know the result of the fight, but not the details."

"Then Shunsui…?" Coyote murmured anxiously.

"He's fine." Aizen replied, smiling suddenly. "Don't worry your pretty little head over him."

"Since the battle is over," Ginjo reasoned. "We'll be returning to Tsukishima, right?" Aizen's smile broadened and it made Ginjo's skin prickle. He rubbed his skin in revulsion, looking away in disbelief at his own involuntary reaction.

"I have business to attend." Aizen announced, standing. "Ginjo, collect Tsukishima. Coyote, I want you to deliver a message."

"Yes?" Coyote nodded unsurely.

"Find Shunsui Kyoraku." Aizen instructed calmly. "Tell him, I send my deepest sympathies for the loss of Wabisuke." Aizen paused patiently, waiting for Coyote to nod. "Better luck next time."

* * *

"Ichigo."

Ichigo grunted loudly, rolling the several ton rock merely an inch to the left. "Fuck! Help me."

"Ichigo…"

Ichigo let out a snarl, pushing with all of his strength. The tons of broken stone was unmoved. He panted in exhaustion and then with a dull snap his right arm broke from the strain. Ichigo hissed, pulling his arm against his chest. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back, his lips pursed anxiously together.

"Ichigo."

"What?" Ichigo snapped, rounding on Renji.

"We can't go that way." Renji explained gently. "There's no way we can move that stone. And even if we could, that entire hallway is completely ruined. There's no way out there."

"You don't understand…" Ichigo began, slamming his broken arm down on the blockade of stone. He winced, closing his eyes tightly once more.

"Grimmjow was on the other side." Byakuya finished. Byakuya rolled his neck from side to side, cracking his joint noisily. "One way or another, there's no one there now."

"How do you know?!" Ichigo demanded. "We can't just give up!"

"I can read thoughts, remember?" Byakuya murmured, picking at the flakes of dried blood on his arms. "And there are no thoughts coming from beneath or behind that stone."

"We need to get out of here." Jushiro said decisively. "There's no way I can climb down."

"I'll carry you." Shunsui said quietly. He laid on his back, staring up at the missing ceiling.

"I'll take Orihime." Renji offered.

"I still…" Byakuya began unsurely. "I need more time before I can move. Go ahead. I'll follow shortly."

"I can take the human and the red-head can help you down." Rukia offered.

"I'm not prepared to speak to you yet." Byakuya hissed. "Maybe in another two hundred years I'll have calmed down."

"Brother…" Rukia groaned.

"Old feuds hardly matter now, do they?" Jushiro reasoned.

"Old feuds?" Byakuya scoffed bitterly. "The wretch, just this season, snapped my neck and stole my prey away…" Byakuya shook his head, his nose upturned in the air. "I would have won that fight, Rukia."

"You did win that fight." Rukia insisted. "He's not even a vampire anymore. He's… something else…"

"A shifter." Renji interjected.

"I want to go." Orihime pressed, pulling Jushiro's hand. "This place is full of dark energy."

"We are dark creatures." Shunsui murmured, lifting his hand above his head. He propped up his knees, narrowing his eyes as if he were focused on something far above him.

"I can go around." Ichigo said suddenly, running toward the opening in the side of the manor. He peered up and then down, his toes wrapping around the crumbling stone. "I'm going."

"Ichigo, wait!" Renji urged, calling after him. "What if we're not alone here? What if he had shifters?"

"Their Master is dead." Ichigo breathed out. "Every single shifter with a wolf-strap keeping them alive just died."

"Oh…" Renji nodded in sudden understanding. They had just killed Shifters, with absolutely no warning those people suddenly stopped breathing. Renji swallowed thickly. "You're right."

"Can you sense him?" Shunsui asked once Ichigo disappeared. He didn't move. He laid on the ground, his chest moving up and down evenly. "Is Grimmjow dead?"

"I don't know." Byakuya admitted. "I haven't… recovered…"

"What's wrong, Brother?" Rukia asked in concern.

"I sustained a lot of damage." Byakuya replied simply. "I need time and to be left alone."

"And blood." Rukia added. "Perhaps the human…"

"No." Byakuya refused flatly.

"Just rest." Renji said softly. "I'm going to help Ichigo look. I'll be right back."

"I'll help… ACK!" Rukia began to spew blood, clutching her stomach in agony. She fell to her knees weakly, unable to stop coughing.

"Rukia!" Byakuya called out, pushing himself up to his knees. He moved toward her but she held out a hand.

"It's okay…" Rukia groaned sickly. "Don't come any closer… It's… I'm…"

"What's going on?" Byakuya demanded, his body aching from the strain of movement.

"It's an old injury…" Rukia explained unsurely. "From my time with the Master called Aizen. I think being here… being this close… It's aggravated it…"

"Just lie down." Shunsui said, his hair a dark pool around his face. "It'll pass in a minute or two."

"Here, let me help you…" Renji offered kindly.

"It's fine. It's fine. Just go." Rukia groaned, blood seeping from her nose. "Help your friend."

"Help Ichigo." Shunsui instructed from his place on the floor. "Find Grimmjow one way or the other."

"Yes." Renji nodded, exchanging a look with Jushiro. Renji cleared his throat unsurely. "Shunsui, are you going to be alright?"

Yesterday, Shunsui had been fully prepared to lose one or two people in the battle. He had made his choice. Nothing, not even Orihime, was important enough to delay their mission. But today, that Shunsui was gone. He could feel the ache inside his hollow chest. Kira's death had left him damaged.

"I'm fine." Shunsui replied, closing his eyes. "Go help Ichigo."

"Shunsui…" Jushiro began gently.

"Grimmjow is the priority now." Shunsui said, to no one in particular. "We won't leave until we find him."

"Shunsui…" Jushiro tried again.

"As soon as Byakuya is able to move, we'll head down and wait for them on the ground." Shunsui explained.

"Shunsui!" Jushiro exclaimed anxiously. "Look at me! Are you alright?"

Shunsui looked up at Jushiro. He remained silent for a long moment, thinking about the question. "I can't explain it, Ukitake-san," Shunsui breathed out. "The thing's he said… and the way he said it… Like he was in my head… I just…" Shunsui paused, swallowing thickly. "It hurts. I don't know why, but damn it, it hurts."

"I liked him too." Orihime interjected. "He was full of magic."

"That stone…" Jushiro pressed. "How could such a small thing kill two Masters?"

"I know it will start a fight, but I'd like to leave that part out of the story." Shunsui said quietly. "I don't want the Council hearing about it."

"Of course. Whatever you think is best." Jushiro insisted.

"Now we just have to convince Ichigo." Shunsui groaned.

"It won't be hard." Jushiro murmured. "He's compromised at the moment. We should take this opportunity. We won't mention that stone again."

"You're cunning." Shunsui replied, eyeing Jushiro.

"Only when it comes to you." Jushiro retorted.

"I made a mistake." Shunsui admitted, covering his face with his arm.

"It's okay." Jushiro breathed out, patting Orihime's head and smoothing down her hair.

"I don't know." Shunsui groaned. "It feels like hell."

"It will be okay." Jushiro pressed. "I swear it."

"I made a mistake." Shunsui repeated. "I just want to go back home. I want to forget about this place and everyone and I want to go home…"

"I'm sorry." Jushiro said. "That's impossible."

"I know." Shunsui sighed. "I know it already."

* * *

Coyote inhaled deeply, his gloved hand trailing along the earth. He closed his eyes, focusing on the intense pressure in the distance. He stood and strode forward, deviating from the road and into the forest. He travelled unhurriedly, but wasted no movement. Every bit of him propelled him forward toward his destination.

Coyote had been walking for nearly a day before he realized he was relieved. God! The amount of time he had spent with Aizen. Three months of uninterrupted _togetherness_. Coyote rolled his eyes hard, finally feeling that knot in his stomach loosen. Finally! At last! He was free of Aizen, if only momentarily.

It wasn't long before Coyote was running through the woods. He wasn't running all-out, out of breath and at agonizing speeds. He ran through the woods with a smile, his breath coming in his nose and out his mouth. His hands trailed along the low-lying branches and he hopped over the fallen trunks with ease.

There was freedom in the woods. And Coyote soaked it in with every fiber of his being. He ran effortlessly, his boots crunching the leaves underfoot. Birds chirped above him and rabbits scurried through the brush. Suddenly, life felt easy.

Coyote was no stranger to loneliness. But he felt none of it now. He knew, the moment Shunsui's name left Aizen's mouth, he knew that the months of darkness were finally reaching their end.

* * *

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo shouted, his voice cracking from overuse. "Grimmjow!"

"Ichigo," Renji breathed out, dropping from the ceiling onto the floor next to him. "Don't move around carelessly. This whole building could collapse."

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo bellowed, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Grimmjow! Answer me!"

"Calm down." Renji urged. "Take a deep breath. Try to listen. Use your nose…"

"I can't." Ichigo cried out, shaking his head and throwing up his arms. "I can't think… I just need to find him…"

"Shhhh…" Renji breathed, placing his hands on Ichigo's shoulders. "I'll help you. Be quiet. Listen. Just breathe in." Ichigo nodded wordlessly, closing his eyes. Renji controlled his breathing, coaching Ichigo along. He held him in place, even when Ichigo wobbled from side to side. "Quiet. Breathe in… breathe out… Listen…"

Ichigo bit down on his lip, trying to stifle the emotions welling up. His knees buckled and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Renji caught him, pulling him against his chest and letting him rest his head there. Renji stood firmly, Ichigo cradled affectionately in his arms.

"Watch it, Snake-Monkey," Grimmjow groaned, climbing onto the floor from the level below. He was coated thickly in dried blood, the skin of his face pink and new. "Don't go getting too cozy with my Ichigo…"

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo exclaimed, his eyes wide. He felt his heart skip a beat and he swallowed down a sob.

" _Your Ichigo_?" Renji murmured, making a skeptical face.

"You heard me." Grimmjow hissed, holding out his arm as Ichigo rushed forward for an embrace. He smirked confidently, showing two dazzling rows of sharp, white teeth.

"You fucking bastard…" Ichigo cursed, hitting Grimmjow in the chest before hugging him. He pulled away quickly, closing his eyes. He reached back over, pulling Grimmjow in sharply for a kiss. "If only you'd been smooshed beneath those rocks.

"Aw, come on…" Grimmjow complained. "You should be more honest."

Renji made a face at Grimmjow, shrugging his shoulders pointedly. Grimmjow rolled his eyes, turning the other way. "I thought you were seriously hurt." Renji muttered. "But you just strolled in like an alley cat."

"I smelt the monkey and figured you'd be together."

"I was calling you." Ichigo scolded. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was climbing up the fucking wall. That's a 90 degree angle…" Grimmjow explained. "I woke up on the ground. I'm lucky I wasn't smashed to death. You should be happier, Ichi."

"Thank goodness you made it." Renji replied dryly.

"So, what the hell happened anyway?" Grimmjow asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yammy, Cero, whatever, is dead." Ichigo answered. "Kira killed him."

"Awesome." Grimmjow nodded. "That guy is fuckin' great. And he has the best exotics you'll ever smoke…"

"Kira's dead." Renji groaned.

"Huh? What?" Grimmjow shook his head in disbelief.

"He sacrificed himself." Ichigo said simply.

"How? Why?" Grimmjow demanded.

"We can talk later." Renji insisted. "Right now, we need to get the hell out of this house before it collapses with us in it."

* * *

"Everyone's quiet." Orihime noted, looking around the campfire at the others. Night had fallen and the orange glow bathing their skin was the only light for hundreds of miles. Had Orihime not kept the company of monsters it would have been frightening.

"Just tired." Jushiro sighed, brushing Shunsui's hair out of his face. Shunsui lay on the ground, his head in Jushiro's lap.

"How are you feeling?" Renji asked gently, nodding toward Byakuya.

"I'm fine." Byakuya replied.

"You look pale." Renji worried.

Byakuya made a face and then smiled in amusement. "Do I? I fear that might be a permanent feature of my face."

"Ah, yeah, well…" Renji stammered, mentally kicking himself. "Sorry."

"It's nothing." Byakuya assured him. "I thought it was humorous."

"Damn. This sucks." Grimmjow growled, standing up and kicking out at the log he had been sitting on.

"Save your energy." Ichigo murmured. "You look like death."

"I'm fine." Grimmjow replied.

"You don't look-"

"I said, I'm fine!" Grimmjow snapped. "I haven't been healing as fast since Aizen took my damn guts. But I'll be fine."

"I'm hungry." Orihime groaned, holding her stomach.

"I'll never eat again." Ichigo complained with a shudder.

"I'll find something." Jushiro murmured, patting Shunsui's shoulder so he'd lift his head.

"Hunger builds character." Shunsui claimed, not budging an inch from Jushiro's lap.

"Shunsui…" Jushiro breathed out in warning.

"Hey, I'll handle it." Grimmjow offered. "Come on, Lady Fangs. Let's get dinner."

"I've told you, my name is Rukia!" Rukia hissed irritably.

"I believe it would be Countess Lady Fangs." Byakuya teased, watching his sister go.

"I heard that." Rukia mumbled.

"I did say it aloud, did I not?" Byakuya drawled.

"Countess Blood Sucker," Grimmjow barked, interrupting their little spat. "We're catching dinner for the group. You're not a Human, behave or I'll be serving you…"

"I don't want to eat Vampire." Orihime said simply.

Grimmjow wanted to laugh. She was so honest and naïve. He wasn't much for sentimentality, but he found it surprisingly cute behavior. "Alright, if you insist, little princess."

"There isn't much out there." Shunsui announced suddenly, not bothering to lift his head.

"Huh?" Grimmjow paused, listening to the wood.

"We're the only living creatures for miles." Shunsui sighed. "Animals are smarter than humans and human-born creatures. They know where they don't belong."

"I can find something." Grimmjow insisted. "I'm a hunter."

"We should stay together." Shunsui refused, shaking his head.

"You're troubled." Byakuya realized. "But there's no reason that he can't go out looking for food."

"I'm sure that fight was felt all over the earth… at least this half…" Shunsui explained. "What if another comes? What about the Master who was sending those humans through the portal? They could be here in an instant."

"'He'." Orihime pointed out. "All Masters are boys."

"Yeah." Shunsui nodded. "You're right."

"That's neither here nor there." Jushiro responded. "We should try to get some sleep. We can move on in the morning. You'll have to hold out until then, Orihime."

"But I'm hungry now." Orihime pressed.

"Sleep it off." Shunsui ordered. "We'll eat tomorrow."

"Be patient," Jushiro said, more kindly. "I think everyone's too sore tonight. And most of us aren't hungry. You'll be fine for one more night."

Orihime nodded bravely, ignoring the terrible groans her stomach emitted. She laid down on the ground, her back to the fire and her face toward Shunsui's side. She reached out and took his hand, he squeezed it gently and she smiled, at ease.

* * *

"There's not a damn thing to eat." Renji complained.

"Did the dark matter drive the animals off?" Jushiro asked curiously. "This is most unusual."

"This is probably a bad sign." Grimmjow murmured. "Shunsui was right. We're fools for staying the night so close. Half of us are puking up blood and the other half hasn't completely healed…"

"There is something strange about this." Ichigo agreed, cradling his arm against his chest. "I've never taken so long to heal."

"I smell something," Byakuya said suddenly. "Something… I can't tell... Perhaps it's familiar…"

"Is it food?" Grimmjow asked.

"It's… an animal…" Byakuya decided, but then he narrowed his eyes. "Or no, perhaps not quite…"

"It's a shifter?" Renji questioned.

"It's close." Byakuya realized, straightening up. "Too close for having just caught its scent…"

"I smell it too…" Renji announced, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I can't believe it! It's…"

"Wow, you guys are a right mess…"

Shunsui turned his head to the side in shock, staring at the youthful but well-built form behind them. "Coyote?"

"Bonjour." Coyote announced, holding his arms, laden down by several rabbit carcasses, out in gesture and dipping at the waist in a bow. "Miss me?"

"Coyote!" Orihime exclaimed, rushing toward him. She hugged him tightly, squeezing and squeezing until her arms ached.

Coyote flashed Jushiro a bright smile, tossing the rabbits to Shunsui before kneeling beside Orihime to give her a proper hug. "Hey, Shunsui, it's been a while, huh?"

"Where have you been?!" Orihime demanded, tears falling. "I've been waiting and waiting…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, love," Coyote apologized. "Don't be too mad at me. I was busy."

"I made a friend…" Orihime sobbed. "And he's already gone! He can't meet him now."

"What are you doing here?" Shunsui asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Aizen sent me." Coyote explained.

"He was the Master aiding Yammy." Shunsui realized.

"And the battle didn't end favorably." Coyote added. "He's furious."

"That was my friend." Orihime interrupted. "He was a Master like Aizen but he was funny and kind and he didn't kill his pretty lady shifters."

"Wabisuke?" Coyote murmured, looking toward Shunsui with surprise. He stood slowly, a strong sense of guilt creeping into his chest.

"Switch languages." Shunsui instructed in Aramaic. "You killed his shifters, right?"

"Yes." Coyote nodded, switching languages obediently.

"And you said Aizen sent you…" Shunsui pressed.

"Yes. He wanted me to deliver a message." Coyote explained.

"Go ahead."

"He said he 'sent his sympathies for the loss of Wabisuke… and… and better luck next time'." Coyote repeated uneasily.

Shunsui nodded stiffly, and then in Japanese, "I'm glad you're back."

"We've missed you." Jushiro breathed out, relieved that the two men seemed to be unaffected by their private conversation. "I'll start preparing the stew… Orihime, help me."

"I don't know how long I'll be able to stay." Coyote murmured, locking gazes with Shunsui. "But for now I'm glad to be back."


	35. Wishes of Heathens

**_Part XXXV: Wishes of Heathens_**

"Make the most of your regrets; never smother your sorrow, but tend and cherish it till it comes to have a separate and integral interest. To regret deeply is to live afresh."

-Henry David Thoreau

* * *

"Shunsui, you seem…" Coyote trailed off. The two men were silent for a long moment before Shunsui spoke.

"I've never failed so completely in my life." Shunsui admitted quietly. "I didn't realize how lucky we've been. It never even occurred to me that we've been lucky…"

"I certainly don't feel lucky." Coyote groaned, his blue eyes scanning Shunsui's face with concerned interest.

"But we were." Shunsui insisted, his hands curled into fists in his lap. "Everything to this point… Aizen's been toying with us. He hasn't shown a tenth of his power. And then again with the Quincy's… Those were probably the easiest enemies we'll ever have to fight…"

"I don't want to hear that." Coyote hissed, adjusting himself in his pants rather impolitely. "That was undoubtedly the second least favorite moment of my life."

"And what was the first?" Shunsui asked, a smile suddenly appearing on his handsome face.

"Birth." Coyote replied simply. Shunsui only nodded. He wasn't sure what answer he had been expecting.

"Coyote, I'm serious." Shunsui finally continued. "The strength of the Masters is unimaginable."

"I believe you." Coyote breathed out, drawing a finger through the sand between his feet. "I've felt that in ways you never will."

Shunsui grew quiet. He watched Coyote, a young, troubled man, and couldn't help but feel the need to protect him. Coyote was his pack. Coyote was his companion; they shared a Master, after all. Coyote was _his_. It was such a peculiar but overwhelming thought, but something, somehow, trumped that feeling.

Orihime.

Orihime was human. Orihime was fragile. Orihime was vulnerable. Orihime was mortal. Orihime was his responsibility. Orihime needed him. Orihime had a talent that no one else had. Orihime was truly necessary to save as many shifters as possible.

As if he sensed the direction of Shunsui's thoughts, Coyote spoke, "Are you going forward with your plan?"

"No." Shunsui replied instantly. He hesitated before continuing, "Well, not exactly."

"I see."

"Orihime is the priority for now."

"As it should be." Coyote exhaled, his curly hair falling into his face.

"We're still recovering from the battle." Shunsui explained. "Afterward we'll form a new plan."

"You mean you will, right?" Coyote asked, smiling impishly.

"What do you mean? I feel lost without you. You did everything." Shunsui reasoned.

Coyote made a face, perhaps in agreement, before smiling again. "You never were any good at collecting souls."

"It's called dark matter." Shunsui said before thinking. "We don't need the souls."

"Oh, is that so?" Coyote straightened up, blinking thoughtfully. "Well, you were never any good at collecting dark matter, then." Coyote kicked a rock at Shunsui playfully. "I'm always stuck doing the work."

"Don't kid yourselves." Jushiro interjected unexpectedly, dropping more kindling into the dying fire. "I'm the one working while you two nap or frolic in the woods or whatever else you two _boys_ end up doing…"

"Ukitake-san…" Coyote exclaimed, looking up at the man's towering figure from the ground. "Sit down and talk with us."

"I thought I'd give you two some time to catch up first." Jushiro explained.

"Don't be foolish. Sit down." Coyote ordered, his curly hair bouncing as he shook his head.

"Orihime is still over there with the others…" Jushiro said, looking through the trees with concern.

"She's completely safe." Shunsui insisted, gesturing to the space beside him.

"Besides," Coyote added. "I can hear her perfectly from where I'm sitting."

"Good." Jushiro sighed, nodding in approval. "If that's the case…"

"She's grown." Coyote mused. "You probably can't tell, but I can see it."

"I wonder," Jushiro began unsurely. "What it will be like, as she ages and we do not…"

"I imagine it will be most difficult at the end." Shunsui murmured.

"She's still young; too young to enjoy an eternity. Give her time. She'll come around," Coyote insisted.

"I'm not so sure." Jushiro exhaled.

"She can be rather stubborn." Shunsui added.

"So stubborn that she'd rather die than become like us?" Coyote asked, narrowing his eyes in disbelief.

"Without a doubt." Shunsui confirmed.

"How pretentious." Coyote snarled.

"She's a child…" Jushiro explained.

"That makes it all the worse." Coyote maintained, his nose lifting into the air pointedly.

"I'm not sure I've asked, how have you been?" Shunsui asked, turning to look at Coyote.

Coyote sighed deeply, his blue eyes closing. " _Comme d'hab_."

"It isn't the same without y-" Shunsui began uneasily.

"No fair…!" Orihime lamented, rushing into view. "I want to spend time with Coyote too!" Orihime wrapped her arms around Coyote's neck, squeezing tightly with affection. "He's my beloved brother…"

"Oh?" Coyote made a face, arching his brows.

"Of course!" Orihime insisted, pushing a stray curl out of Coyote's face and behind his ear. "We're a family, aren't we?"

The question made Coyote's stomach twist into knots. He sighed, looking toward Shunsui for aid. Shunsui nodded in understanding, reaching out and pulling Orihime into his lap. "Come on, Coyote's tired. Leave him be."

* * *

"He's changed his mind." Byakuya said simply, skinning the rabbit with his bare claws.

"Who?" Renji asked, realizing the answer as soon as he spoke. "Ah, Shunsui."

"Yes." Byakuya nodded, passing the meat to Ichigo.

Ichigo used a knife to dice the meat before throwing it into the bubbling pot of vegetable broth. "He took it hard… Kira's death, I mean… His reaction, it was rather unexpected…"

" _His_ compassion cost us victory." Byakuya murmured. "I suppose _both_ of them were at fault…"Byakuya sighed. "Although, it is in bad taste to speak ill of the dead..."

"We won." Grimmjow groaned, adjusting his position on the ground by the fire. "Cero is dead." Grimmjow looked from person to person deliberately. "And don't give me that 'at what cost' shit."

"He no longer wishes to hunt down the other Masters. He has lost his drive, his ambition," Byakuya explained. "There is little purpose for me to remain in this fellowship."

"One, how do you know? And two, quit fucking talkin' like your trying to impress people…" Grimmjow growled. "It's infuriating."

"I understand what you're saying," Ichigo interjected, stirring the pot of stew. "But I think you're wrong about one thing…"

"Oh?" Byakuya mused, his brows arched.

"Orihime wasn't saved out of compassion alone or at least I don't think she was." Ichigo explained. "She's human, but she's not useless."

"You mean her 'gift' or 'sight'." Byakuya realized, nodding his head in understanding.

"Aizen spared her before too." Renji added. "I think that means something."

"That's you guys' problem as a whole!" Grimmjow declared. "Too much thinking and not enough intelligence to do so!"

"Strong words coming from you, kitty-cat." Renji groaned.

"We're not going to fight." Byakuya snapped, glaring at the others in turn.

"Yeah, Snake-Monkey…" Grimmjow hissed.

"I was speaking mostly to you, imbecile." Byakuya barked, turning to peer at Grimmjow in frustration. "Be quiet."

"Fuck all y'all." Grimmjow spat, climbing to his feet. "I delivered the blood-sucking bitch, and now I'm out."

"No one asked for my sister to be brought here." Byakuya retorted irritably.

"She was half-dead when I found her." Grimmjow replied. "Take care of her or kill her, I don't care. Not my problem."

"I can take care of myself." Rukia interjected.

"Ha!" Byakuya snapped.

"Yeah…" Grimmjow groaned.

"I've never been so insulted!" Rukia declared, shaking her head.

"Aizen wanted her." Ichigo sighed. "If she's with us, Aizen can't have her."

"Oh, yeah, right. Now I remember why I cared…" Grimmjow murmured, nodding his head thoughtfully.

"I hope Tsukishima lives forever to regret his decisions." Byakuya cursed, his low voice rumbling from his chest.

"What are you doing all the way out here anyway, Brother?" Rukia pressed. "For you to leave Romania…"

"My castle was destroyed, my servants killed…" Byakuya spat angrily. "Even my beloved horse…" Byakuya finished skinning the second rabbit, tossing it to Ichigo. "I have no further or particular attachment to Romania or Wallachia."

"I wish to return." Rukia admitted, her eyes wide with disappointment. "I was hoping we could make the return journey together."

Byakuya made a face; he looked away from Rukia aware that Renji was gauging his reaction with interest. "I have a pact with shifters. I will continue travelling with them until I am released from the agreement."

"What sort of agreement?" Rukia asked, her dark eyes sparkling.

"It doesn't involve you." Byakuya said simply. He stood, his bloodied hands falling to his side.

"So you will not be returning to Romania? To the Coven?" Rukia questioned.

"No." Byakuya replied.

"But the strength of our kind lies in numbers…" Rukia argued. "What about the human hunters? What about werewolves? What about…-"

"I've cared for you for many lifetimes. It is your own time now." Byakuya spoke softly. "I no longer worry about my own safety. I wish for nothing, want for nothing. I will not be returning to Wallachia. For when I have finished serving my contract, I will die."

Rukia was silent for a long moment, planning her next words carefully, "Brother, what about your search of wisdom? Have you given up so easily?"

Byakuya smiled, it was a chilling and sad smile, "Sister, I will never have all the answers. We aren't intended to."

* * *

"Why must we walk everywhere we go?" Orihime asked, groaning as she tripped over a rodent's hole. She kicked the uprooted dirt pile in anger, her brows knit together. "My legs are gonna fall off."

"Such a whiny little sister…" Coyote teased. "Shunsui's carried you almost the entire morning."

"My legs are short." Orihime explained, folding her arms over her chest just as Jushiro did when he was angry. "I have to run to keep up!"

"Come here, I'll carry ya." Renji offered.

"Make her walk." Jushiro chastised. "She's human. She has to learn to fight that nature."

"Huh?" Renji asked, sharing a look with Ichigo.

"Do you think I enjoy all this walking?" Jushiro asked, his jaw held tightly. "I promise you, I do not."

"Want me to carry you, Samurai-san?" Grimmjow called out, smirking playfully. Jushiro glowered at Grimmjow who merely laughed it off.

"I speak many languages." Byakuya announced irritably. "Please speak in one of them!"

"That really is inconvenient." Ichigo mused. "I wonder why shifters can speak any language but vampires can't?"

"It must be the wolfstraps…" Renji suggested, scratching his head.

"Then Daddy could understand everyone too." Orihime reasoned.

"Ah, good point…" Renji groaned. "Who knows?"

"It's troubling really…" Grimmjow murmured. "Thinking about how much the Masters actually get into our heads. Are we even sure we're still us?"

"Don't start that _again_." Ichigo begged.

"Again?" Coyote asked, slowing down to match Grimmjow's pace. "Explain yourself…"

"Sorry, Ichi," Grimmjow drawled. "The little cub wants to know."

"It's speculation at best and just an opinion." Ichigo warned.

"Understood." Coyote nodded, waiting curiously for Grimmjow to continue.

"What if Grimmjow is dead? What if Grimmjow died long, long ago and I'm really Aizen? But there're still some memories attached to the body, right?" Grimmjow explained. "What if we're ghosts?"

"Were you, per chance, smoking with Kira when you came up with this theory?" Byakuya asked. "I know he had more than herbs in that pipe."

"Maybe…" Grimmjow replied with a shrug. "I can't remember. I'm old."

"Shifters who live in isolation like Grimmjow get a little looney." Ichigo reasoned, his lips pursed together.

"I ain't crazy, pump-kin…" Grimmjow growled sensually. "I just don't swallow all the Council's bullshit like you do."

"I don't like the Council." Orihime decided. "They sound oppressive."

Jushiro laughed. "Where'd you learn a word like that?"

"Great. Good job, Grimmjow. You're indoctrinating children…" Ichigo complained.

"She can make up her own mind. She's the daughter of a shifter and a human." Grimmjow reasoned. "Their rules will affect her too."

"What rules?" Coyote asked, narrowing his eyes.

Grimmjow smiled widely, letting a wild laugh escape his throat. Renji sighed heavily and Ichigo groaned in response. Grimmjow pat Coyote's back loudly, "Little wolf-cub, the Council has damn near rules about everything…"

* * *

"Are you awake?" Renji murmured, turning his head, his eyes peering through the darkness.

Byakuya's eyes opened, reflecting in the dying embers inhumanly as he blinked. "I am."

Renji sighed, licking his lips. He adjusted his arm beneath his head, staring up at the starry sky. "What do you think is going to happen now?"

Byakuya was quiet for a moment, probably wondering whether this was a question that couldn't wait until the morning. Byakuya pinched the bridge of his nose, "I suppose, we will spend the remainder of our time together hunting down shifters and removing their wolfstraps."

"And you'll help us?" Renji pressed.

"He's frightened." Byakuya replied. "He doesn't wish to lose Orihime prematurely. I doubt he'll ever go after another Master while she lives."

"Yeah." Renji added lamely.

"Renji, there's something peculiar about him…" Byakuya began, as if in warning.

"Like what?" Renji asked.

Byakuya shook his head, chewing on the loose skin of his bottom lip. "I'm not sure."

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes." Byakuya answered truthfully. "I do."

"In my world, that's what matters." Renji explained.

Byakuya laughed softly, "I think that matters in every world, Renji."

"Do you think your sister will return to Romania?"

Byakuya thought before answering, "No."

"Why not?" Renji asked curiously.

"I can't explain my thoughts," Byakuya admitted. "But I feel it. She is close to death."

"What? How?" Renji gasped.

"Shhhhhhh…." Byakuya hissed. "They're sleeping."

"Sorry," Renji apologized, feeling childish.

"A vampire is only as good as their fangs." Byakuya said simply. "Hers are dull."

"Why? What does that mean?" Renji questioned.

"My, you're certainly curious when you're tired…" Byakuya teased and Renji could swear he saw the vampire smile.

"It's my favorite part of the day," Renji confessed, his raspy voice breathless. "When everyone else is asleep beside us. You and me and the stars…"

"Shhhh…." Byakuya murmured. Renji knew it had nothing to do with his volume this time.

"You said there was nothing you wanted anymore…" Renji began uneasily. "Nothing you wished for… Is that true?"

"No." Byakuya admitted, a bittersweet smile ghosting across his handsome face. "I only wish I could have such resolve."

"What is it? That you wish for, I mean…" Renji pressed.

Byakuya clicked his tongue quietly, "Many things. Some big things. I wish that Kira had not died. And then some little things. I wish to see the snow." Byakuya turned his head to the side to look at Renji. "Believe it or not, I'm just like everyone else."

"I don't believe it." Renji insisted with a laugh. "I don't think you believe it either." Renji sighed deeply, sinking deeper into the soft grass. "I wish I hadn't signed the second contract. And I wish for real food. Not gamey stew."

"I wish for the feel of reins in my hand."

"I wish for shoes that wouldn't fall apart a hundred miles in."

"I wish for apples."

"Mmm… the red juicy kind."

"Ah, but I like the tart green ones." Byakuya mused.

"Pie." Renji nearly moaned. "Any kind. Just give me pie."

"I'm not one for sweets. I much prefer rich, flavorful food with lots of spice." Byakuya said, arching a brow playfully. "Cooking optional."

"And I thought I was a _heathen_ growing up…" Renji teased.

"You've no idea." Byakuya whispered, rolling over onto his side.

"I bet you were cute." Renji breathed out, rolling onto his side. "With wild black hair and Hunnic markings… eating raw meat and riding horses…"

"I don't know about 'cute'…" Byakuya groaned. "But it was a wonderful life. That was probably the last time I had fun. Conquering the wilderness, conquering our enemies…" Byakuya stared off into the distance distractedly. "If only people couldn't be bought or sold. How different the world would be."

"I wish you could be around to see how the world changes." Renji mused. "Europe is in the middle of a great renaissance. Imagine what it'll be like in 100 years or a thousand!"

Byakuya was more affected by the comment than Renji could have thought. Byakuya's entire body felt hot, his heart pounded and he inhaled a painful breath. "I wish the world was as kind as it is beautiful. I just can't wait any longer. "


	36. The Place You Dream Of

**_Part XXXVI: The Place You Dream Of_**

"Here. Take it."

Orihime made a face, scrunching up her nose and curling her hand in refusal. "I don't want it."

"Take it." Coyote repeated, his smooth voice strained into a hiss.

"I don't want it." Orihime snapped, shaking her head emphatically.

"It's chocolate…" Coyote breathed out, presenting the rare treasure in his palm.

"I… I don't care…" Orihime sniffled, looking longingly after the treat.

Coyote smiled knowingly, waving his hand in front of her face pointedly. "A sweet treat for a little princes…"

"I don't want chocolate. I want you to stay." Orihime proclaimed, her hair tossed over he shoulder as she spoke.

"I have to go back." Coyote insisted, his voice cracking slightly. "You know… I'd rather stay here with you…"

"Then do it." Orihime said.

Coyote laughed bitterly, taking her small hand in his and placing the chocolate in her palm. He closed her fingers over the precious gift, squeezing her hand tightly. He injected everything he wished to say into that gesture.

Even though she had originally planned to spurn his attention, Orihime clasped him tightly. His hand shook against hers. She licked her lips and nodded her head in understanding she didn't want to possess. "We'll share it."

"It was gift." Coyote replied simply.

"I know." Orihime said. "And I choose to share it. Let's eat it now… before you go…"

"Orihime," Coyote began, watching her unfurl her fingers around the chocolate. She snapped the brick in two, offering him the larger share. "I'll find you again."

"Ay." Orihime said with a nod. She smiled sadly, the expression terribly unsuited for her youthful face.

"What's that face for? Have some faith." Coyote groaned, knocking his shoulder against hers.

"I…" Orihime began unsurely. "I was just trying to decide if you meant it or not."

"I mean it." Coyote assured her.

"Then stay." Orihime pleaded, her brown eyes wide.

"I can't." Coyote declined.

"I'm brave." Orihime insisted, steeling her resolve. "I can handle anything the Master throws at us. You don't have to be alone… You don't have to…"

Coyote took a big bite of the hard chocolate, he chewed noisily, and rather impolitely, a smile twisting up his bulging cheeks, "I'll stay when you get a wolfstrap."

"I won't." Orihime refused.

"Then I must go." Coyote murmured around his food. He stood, his hand lingering on her hair for a moment longer. "My greatest wish is that you live a long, beautiful life."

"And what about my wish?" Orihime demanded, standing straight up from the ground.

"I so rarely get what I ask for." Coyote replied, his handsome face twisting with humor. His dark blue eyes glittered as he spoke. "Let me have this."

"You really aren't fair." Orihime accused, the chocolate beginning to melt between her slim fingers.

"Life is not fair." Coyote breathed out, giving a small little bow. "I must beg your pardon. I have to get going."

"Coyote!" Orihime spat, her eyes closing in anger. But when she opened her eyes again, Coyote was already gone.

Coyote preferred the ground to the trees but he needed the cover. He passed the camp silently, with only Ichigo looking up but saying nothing. The vampires turned slightly, but she kept her eyes on the ground and he only nodded his head politely.

"Leaving so soon?" Grimmjow asked, stepping onto the branch in front of Coyote.

"I have to return to the Master." Coyote replied, gripping the branch above him to stabilize.

"I didn't know wolves climbed trees." Grimmjow teased, turning to the side to allow Coyote to pass.

"They don't." Coyote replied, climbing onto Grimmjow's branch. The wood creaked and dipped threateningly under their combined weight.

"Hey," Grimmjow began unsurely. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Coyote said with a laugh.

"We share a Master." Grimmjow said with a nod, looking anywhere but at Coyote. "And you saved my life. A little pup like you, saving _me_ … It's hilarious."

"Yeah." Coyote murmured, unsure of where Grimmjow was going with the conversation.

"I'm not interested in saving the world." Grimmjow said matter-of-factly. "Let it burn. Let it bleed. I don't care. But you… You and Ichigo, any time you need me… I will fight."

"Thank you." Coyote replied, a strange sense of relief flooding his chest.

Grimmjow stepped forward, his face inches from Coyote's. He pressed his clawed hand against Coyote's throat, collecting a large droplet of blood. He licked his razor-sharp claw, the blood soaking into his tongue. "No matter what, now I can find you."

Coyote had a million things he wanted to say, but he simply shook his head, "Thank you, Grimmjow."

Grimmjow nodded wordlessly, pulling himself onto a higher branch and out of Coyote's way. "I'll see ya when I see ya."

* * *

Jushiro and Shunsui followed the sound of Orihime's mournful wails through the forest. Grimmjow returned just as they disappeared. He sighed, dropping to the ground limberly. "Poof and he's gone…"

"That wasn't long." Renji said.

"He has a needy Master." Ichigo added, lying down on the leaf-strewn forest floor.

"Why must he go alone?" Byakuya asked, looking from Grimmjow to Ichigo curiously.

"It's too dangerous for Orihime." Ichigo answered.

"That was not the question." Byakuya corrected. "I meant, why is Shunsui exempt from it? Don't they share a Master?" The shifters were quiet for a long moment before Byakuya clicked his tongue. "I thought as much. No one knows."

"Maybe because he already has so many? And Shunsui is a troublemaker… and well, Coyote is his _personal_ favorite…" Renji reasoned.

"I'm not sure." Grimmjow spoke over Renji's theories. "But I noticed it too. Shunsui's different."

"Katen." Byakuya murmured thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Ichigo asked unsurely.

"It's nothing." Byakuya replied, folding his hands in his lap. "I'm still trying to accept, not every question has an answer."

"Now that Coyote's gone, we'll probably be moving out." Ichigo realized, picking at a thick callous on the bottom of his foot.

"I'm excited." Rukia said dryly. "I haven't coughed up any blood in a few hours and I most certainly am up for walking until I die…"

"Don't speak like that." Byakuya scolded, scratching anxiously across the inside of his arm.

"There's no point in pretending." Rukia announced, standing up. "I won't ever make it back to Wallachia." Rukia grabbed the tree next to her and held onto it for support. "You should end my misery, brother."

"I won't." Byakuya refused, eying her critically. "You chose this curse."

"That's…"

"You chose to become a vampire, did you not?" Byakuya hissed angrily.

"That was hundreds of years ago…" Ichigo groaned. "Let it go."

"Never." Byakuya maintained. "Besides, what is she asking of me? She wants me to rip her head off? Burn her? Scatter her remains? I refuse. If you think I'm cruel, you do it."

"Rukia, your brother has a point." Ichigo groaned, rolling onto his stomach and sinking his head into his folded arms.

"Such firm resolve…" Grimmjow murmured, dropping onto the ground beside Ichigo. "I really admire that about you, Ichi."

"Honestly," Ichigo began. "I'm exhausted."

"Sleep." Grimmjow suggested, turning his face toward Ichigo's. "I'll wake you when it's time to go."

"And what if I never wake up?" Ichigo asked, blinking as he spoke.

"I'll carry you." Grimmjow whispered, his hand brushing across Ichigo's face.

"You'd get real sick of that quick…" Ichigo muttered skeptically.

"I wouldn't." Grimmjow insisted.

"You're a runner, Grimm." Ichigo breathed out. "You never stick around for long."

"You've never asked me to." Grimmjow retorted.

"That's not true." Ichigo whispered. "I've gotten tired of asking."

"I'm always there when you need me." Grimmjow argued.

Ichigo swallowed his reply. He pushed onto his hands and knees. The leaves crushed beneath his fingers as he climbed to his feet. "I'll go catch dinner."

"Want help?" Renji offered, throwing Grimmjow a dirty glance.

"I'm fine." Ichigo refused.

"Fuck it." Grimmjow spat, jumping to his feet. He stalked through camp, heading the opposite direction as Ichigo. "This shit is why I live alone."

"I often wonder," Byakuya mused once the two shifters were out of earshot. "Do you ever mature? Shifters, I mean. Your kind seems to be rather perpetually childlike…"

"I can't argue that." Renji breathed out, tending the fire absently.

"Are there any old shifters?" Byakuya wondered aloud.

"One… maybe two…" Renji answered thoughtfully. "They're special because they're rare."

"There is probably a reason for picking young men barely past 18 winters." Byakuya reasoned. "Those men are thoughtless and careless as a general rule."

"Are you calling me stupid, Byakuya?" Renji asked with a grin.

"Absolutely." Byakuya admitted with a laugh.

"I still can't argue that." Renji chuckled.

"I was that age once too." Byakuya recalled, sighing nostalgically.

"You miss that place, don't you?" Renji asked quietly.

"What place?" Byakuya asked, looking away quickly.

"I don't know…" Renji murmured. "The place you dream of."

"Dream?" Byakuya scoffed, shaking his head.

"Sorry." Renji said simply. "I shouldn't've asked."

"It's alright…" Byakuya said quickly, staring down at his white hands. "I just… It's…"

"I was being nosey." Renji excused himself.

"It's an unbearable feeling…" Byakuya said suddenly, his eyes meeting Renji's. "To have such unresolved feelings for someone who's been dead so long."

"There was someone…" _else_ , was what Renji intended to say.

"There was someone." Byakuya nodded his head slowly. "I was nothing when I met him. Literally nothing. I was saved from nothingness. I learned to speak Goth, I learned to ride a horse, hold a sword, kill a man…" Byakuya held Renji's gaze. "And then without a fight he let go."

"I… I'm sorry…" Renji said.

"I don't look for pity." Byakuya hissed. "I wish for understanding. Why? I would gladly have died at the end of a sword. But I wouldn't have to. I was strong. Much stronger. We could have…" Byakuya halted suddenly, shaking his head angrily. "I want answers that I can't have. Isn't that exactly what it comes down to?"

"Shuren and I…" Byakuya sighed. "I couldn't talk to him like this. Our language had no feeling. Everything was short and ugly and empty. Our language was so limited. I could never sit there and talk to him like this…" Byakuya gestured to the space between him and Renji pointedly. "I thought we didn't need words. But I was wrong. I was the only one…"

"I don't believe that." Renji interjected.

"What?" Byakuya asked, his brows knit together in wounded confusion.

"I don't believe you were the only one." Renji clarified. "I don't know… I don't know why he left or let you go… but…" Renji groaned, tossing another log in the fire. "He felt it too."

"And now you're trying to cheer me up." Byakuya sighed. "I'm a sad sight." Byakuya leaned back and smiled. "Forgive an old man his nostalgia."

"I keep telling you, you're a youngin' to me." Renji teased.

"Perhaps." Byakuya conceded with a shrug. "But your kind is forever young and stupid. Therefore, I'm older mentally."

"Ah." Renji groaned, chuckling. "Touché."

* * *

"Where's Grimmjow?" Shunsui asked, approaching camp at a leisurely stroll.

"He took off." Ichigo muttered, slicing the head off of his freshly caught rabbit.

Shunsui shared a glance with Renji. Renji shrugged, tossing his hands up in the air in surrender. "For how long?" Shunsui asked, his brows furrowed in irritation.

"Who knows?" Ichigo snapped, tossing the carcass into a pot.

"Remove the fur first ya damn barbarian…" Grimmjow growled as he walked into the clearing.

"Let me cook." Jushiro sighed, kneeling beside the pot and removing the decapitated rabbit. He handed the rabbit to Byakuya who began slicing it expertly with his claws.

"Oh, so you're back?" Ichigo asked, rounding on Grimmjow.

"I never went anywhere." Grimmjow replied, slinking around Ichigo and toward the fire.

"What were you doing?" Ichigo asked.

"Nothing." Grimmjow groaned. "Why? Were you worried?"

"No." Ichigo returned shortly.

"Ichigo and Grimmjow are in looooove…" Orihime announced suddenly, dodging Jushiro's silencing hand. She giggled openly, squirming out of Jushiro's reach. "They like each other even if they fight…"

Ichigo opened his mouth to respond. The silence was instantly filled with Grimmjow's wild cackling laughter. He hooted in amusement, slapping his thigh. "That's right, Orihime. Ichi looooves me. He was worried about meeeee…"

"I know it." Orihime said simply. "His heart always beats so loudly when you're around…"

"Orihime!" Jushiro barked. "Stop it!" Ichigo, his face bright scarlet, ducked under a low branch, disappearing into the woods in horror. Jushiro pinched Orihime's cheek sharply. "Mind your manners."

"Ouch! That hurt you Mountain Troll!" Orihime cried out, rushing into Grimmjow's open arms.

Grimmjow made a triumphant face before lifting Orihime to his shoulders. "I got ya, kid. We're on the same team."

"And what team is that?" Renji asked with an arched brow.

"Truth, honor, love." Grimmjow suggested with a smirk.

"You are so full of shit." Renji chuckled.

"You sound French." Shunsui muttered, chewing on his nails absently.

"I ain't French." Grimmjow muttered. "Hell, France wasn't even a place when I was born."

"Where are you going?" Shunsui asked, watching Grimmjow and Orihime disappearing into the forest.

"To get Ichigo." Grimmjow announced.

"Just leave him alone for a minute." Renji suggested.

"No. I have the witch with me. She can tell me if she senses any murderous intent from him…" Grimmjow teased.

"I'm not a witch." Orihime replied. "At least, I don't think I am…"

"Don't get her involved in your woes, Grimmjow Jaegarjaquez." Jushiro called out, looking up from the pot of simmering stew.

"Ay, ay, Samurai-san!" Grimmjow shouted, saluting in exaggeration. "I won't use her as a shield either."

"A shield?" Orihime questioned.

"Yeah. You know, in case Ichi _really_ is mad…" Grimmjow teased, holding her hand sweetly in his. He looked up and smiled, the scent of chocolate filling his nostrils. "I won't dangle you in front of me to absorb the damage."

"Such a gentleman." Orihime groaned, tightening her grip around his neck as they walked through the forest.

Grimmjow wriggled his brows. "Learn it now, human. I'm no gentleman."

Rukia began to heave and cough as they walked away. Grimmjow quickened his pace, unperceptively to the young girl, as the overwhelming scent of blood choked the air. He didn't have anything to say to the wretched creature but he didn't particularly enjoy watching the thing suffer either. Grimmjow trekked through the forest, heading in the opposite direction as Ichigo, simply wanting to distance himself from the only truth he knew. Masters killed everything they touched.

* * *

"She's gone."

The group was silent for a long stretch of time. Byakuya spoke first, tossing his long, black hair out of his eyes. "I'll burn her."

"I'll help." Renji offered kindly.

"I will too." Ichigo added. He cleared his throat, shaking his head as he looked away from Rukia's ruined corpse. "My flames burn hotter than fire."

"That would be better." Byakuya agreed. "We should hurry before the child returns."

Jushiro nodded, he hadn't wanted to say anything heartlessly. This scene, her corpse, was truly ravaged. It was an unbelievable amount of blood and gore. They would have to move camp. Even as a human the smell was sickening. The rabbit stew had been abandoned, no one had an appetite.

"We should move camp." Shunsui fortunately suggested. "We head out in the morning."

"Understood." Byakuya said stiffly, looking around his sister's final resting place.

"Throw out the stew." Shunsui instructed Jushiro. Jushiro understood, in his mind if not reality, the stench had permeated every surface and every thing. "I'm sorry about your sister."

Byakuya looked up, as if the sentiment had been unexpected. "Ah. Thank you."

"We'll catch up." Renji said, watching Shunsui and Jushiro pack up what they could not afford to leave behind.

"We'll camp on the opposite bank of the river tonight." Shunsui said, hurrying.

"Understood." Byakuya said with a nod.

"Do you want to say a few words?" Renji asked.

Byakuya shook his head curtly, his hair swishing from the motion.

"Ready?" Ichigo asked quietly.

"Ready." Byakuya agreed.

Ichigo lifted his hand, a strange, concentrated ball of light forming in his palm. It expanded rapidly before erupting from his hand. Rukia's devastated body caught flame, the blackened, sickly blood acting as an unnatural accelerant. Within seconds the three men had to step back, the ungodly heat scorching their skin.

Byakuya smiled tightly, watching the ash twirling in the westerly wind. "She wished to return to Wallachia." Byakuya turned away from the ash and decimated earth where her remains once laid. "Perhaps this wind will take her there."


	37. Later Life Renew and Epilogue

**_Part XXXVII: Later Life Renew_**

"One day I wrote her name upon the strand,

But came the waves and washed it away:

Again I write it with a second hand,

But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.

Vain man, said she, that doest in vain assay,

A mortal thing so to immortalize,

For I myself shall like to this decay,

And eek my name be wiped out likewise.

Not so, (quod I) let baser things devise

To die in dust, but you shall live by fame:

My verse, your virtues rare shall eternize,

And in the heavens write your glorious name.

Where whenas death shall all the world subdue,

Our love shall live, and later life renew."

-Edmund Spenser, Amoretti, Sonnet #75

* * *

Orihime stood, wringing her long, copper hair between her slender hands. She squeezed the water from her locks, the bottom of her rather unladylike pants soaked from the shallow creek. "Byakuya."

"Orihime." Byakuya replied, approaching her with little regard for the impropriety of her state of undress. She was no longer a child in years, but always in his eyes. Byakuya hesitated before speaking in broken Italian, "We're leaving in the morning."

"So soon?" Orihime asked, straightening up in surprise. She opened her mouth to say more but changed her mind, chewing on her bottom lip uneasily. She stepped out of the creek and nearly leapt onto the vampire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing his lean, cold body in her arms.

"It is not soon." Byakuya reasoned in uneasy Italian. "I have waited."

"Say no more." Orihime murmured, kissing the vampire's pallid cheek. "It breaks my heart."

"I only wanted to say, Good luck." Byakuya said simply, nodding his head as he spoke.

"Thank you." Orihime breathed out, grabbing Byakuya's hands. "You've saved so many shifters. It wasn't your fight…"

Byakuya looked down at the hands clutching his own. Years ago when they first met, she would hardly look at him, let alone touch him. Byakuya smiled, squeezing her hand affectionately. "It has been a privilege to live with your family."

"Don't be silly." Orihime sighed. "You belonged. You're a part of our family too."

"Yes, well," Byakuya released Orihime and took a step back. "Take care of yourself."

"I will. I'm not nearly as much trouble as Daddy thinks I am." Orihime insisted.

"No. Jushiro's right. You're absolutely a walking catastrophe." Byakuya breathed out, cocking his head to the side. "I keep telling Shunsui that you need some ground rules but he's just so damn indulgent. Jushiro sees reason, but it's just so…"

"Ah-ha! It's you!" Orihime hissed, pointing at Byakuya accusingly. "I knew someone was putting ideas into Papa's head! Damn it, Byakuya!"

Byakuya laughed, shaking his head. "I stand by my statement."

"You don't have to go, you know." Orihime said suddenly, smiling sadly.

"Do you really believe that?" Byakuya asked seriously.

"As your friend, yes." Orihime explained. "But as a human, I'm not sure."

"And if you were me?" Byakuya challenged.

"I would make the same decision as you have."

Byakuya nodded, a smile twitching up the corners of his mouth. "Yes. I believe you would."

"I'll miss you." Orihime whispered, stepping forward.

Byakuya took a step back, lifting his hand and smoothing down her copper hair. "Take care of them. One day, sooner than you'll care to believe, you'll be the grown up. They'll need you."

"I will." Orihime agreed, nodding solemnly.

"Goodbye, child." Byakuya murmured, turning around with finality.

"Goodbye, Byakuya." Orihime called after him, grabbing her clothes from the rock beside the creek. "I will miss you, friend."

* * *

"I'm honored." Jushiro breathed out, staring down at the object presented to him.

"Take it." Byakuya urged.

"I mustn't." Jushiro whispered. "Don't you… Surely you'll want it with you."

"The Sword of God." Byakuya lowered the sword into Jushiro's capable hands. "I bequeath it to you, Ukitake Jushiro of Edo."

"This sword…" Jushiro replied, his eyes wide with animated incredulity.

"The sword of Attila the Hun." Byakuya answered. "The sword of Count Dracula." Byakuya kneeled beside Jushiro. "I could not imagine leaving this sword to anyone else."

"Thank you." Jushiro said, bowing deeply.

"I hope it serves you well." Byakuya said, his voice suddenly cracking. He hadn't expected the sudden welling emotion as he gave away his one, single earthly possession.

"I will not be making the journey with you." Jushiro explained, allowing Byakuya his moment of grief. "So I wish you well. I wish you peace."

"I heard that Coyote will return tomorrow." Byakuya said with a nod. "Shunsui mentioned that you and Orihime would wait for him here."

"The time with him is getting few and far between." Jushiro replied. "You know how she loves him so. And even though she's older, Shunsui still cossets her."

"I don't mind." Byakuya said, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't need an audience."

"I will miss you." Jushiro admitted, bowing once more deeply. "It was an honor to fight beside you."

"Yes." Byakuya nodded stiffly. "I feel the same."

* * *

"Are you not going to speak to me?" Byakuya asked, his face turned downward in a troubled frown.

"There's nothing I want to say." Renji replied, grabbing the steaming bowl of soup as Orihime handed it to him.

"Ah." Byakuya mouthed, his eyes wide and his lips strained tightly.

"Take it from me." Ichigo advised quietly, cutting his eyes at Renji. "Don't separate after an argument."

"I'm not arguing." Renji barked. "I'm sitting here silently! Even that can be seen as an argument?"

The door of the small house swung open with a creak and Shunsui stepped inside. He kicked his boots off at the doorway and crossed the floor, sitting in the empty space beside Jushiro. He smiled handsomely, taking the next bowl of soup as Orihime served it. "Smells good."

"Rabbit and cabbage soup." Renji breathed out. "Again."

"It's not stew." Ichigo pointed out, spooning some cabbage into his mouth.

"Stew, soup, it's all the same damn thing." Renji groaned.

"Nah. Soup makes ya piss more." Shunsui pointed out, grimacing as Jushiro slapped him across the chest.

"There are no manners! You're all a bunch of animals!" Jushiro complained.

"Sorry, Ukitake-san," Renji chuckled. "But we kinda are."

"Yabbe, yabbe." Shunsui groaned humorously. "That's exactly it! We are, aren't we?"

"Then eat outside." Jushiro warned, pushing his cold feet against Shunsui's back.

"If you guys don't want soup and stew all the time, get to work on an oven." Orihime challenged, stirring her soup with a sour face. "It's hard to feed all of you, ya know."

"There's plenty of clay in the hills…" Shunsui said thoughtfully. "If we could heat it enough to form the bricks…" Shunsui looked at Ichigo pointedly.

"Voila! Bread!" Orihime exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"We can get bread in town." Shunsui groaned in disappointment.

"You never let me go to town!" Orihime snapped.

"It's too dangerous for a young lady." Shunsui said firmly.

"Absolutely." Jushiro added in agreement. "There's no way you could go alone."

"I'm 15, not 4." Orihime complained.

"I'm over two thousand years old." Ichigo said, turning to look at Orihime. "And I still get hassled when I go to the market." Ichigo made a noise of displeasure. "I'd've been killed over a hundred times just going to market if I was a mortal."

"That's because you attract dark matter." Orihime muttered. "I don't."

"Enough." Byakuya announced, rubbing his hands together. "This is not how I plan to spend our last night together."

"Sorry." Orihime gasped, covering her mouth apologetically. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know." Byakuya admitted with a shrug. "Not your teenage woes."

"Do you all remember, a few years back, when we met that shifter with no eyes?" Orihime asked.

"Yeah." Shunsui nodded.

"Ishmael. He was a good enough guy." Renji added.

"Yeah, well, I just now realized that he had to have been blind before he signed his contract… I mean, right?" Orihime pointed out.

"Three years later and you're thinking of it now?" Ichigo scoffed, shaking his head slowly.

"I wonder why his Master didn't give him his eyes…" Byakuya mused, a delighted smile etched across his face. "A blind shifter must've had quite a disadvantage at times."

"I wanna know what a blind shifter wished for in the first place. Here's this guy who can do anything and you don't ask for your sight? Really?" Shunsui snickered.

"It's too late to ask now." Jushiro pointed out.

"Damn. We missed an opportunity." Ichigo groaned. "I have questions, Ishmael."

"That's the most beautiful part of life." Byakuya said softly. "There is always something to wonder about."

"I think about the shifters we've helped all the time." Renji admitted. "Do you think they're okay? Once we removed every piece of the Master, do you think they live out the rest of their days or do you think they've died shortly after?"

"Who knows?" Ichigo replied. "It would be easy enough for the Council to keep track of these things, but honestly, I haven't been in contact with them for over two years now."

"It'll only be a matter of time before Hitsugaya comes and finds you." Jushiro realized.

"Probably." Ichigo agreed, finishing the last few drops from the bottom of his bowl.

"Grimmjow'd be proud." Shunsui teased.

"Oh, well, fuck that." Ichigo growled, tossing his bowl to Orihime without warning. "More please."

"Don't throw." Shunsui chastised, kicking Ichigo.

"Don't kick." Ichigo growled, kicking Shunsui in retribution.

"Alright, children." Byakuya breathed out, sharing a knowing look with Jushiro. "That's enough."

"You don't really plan on leaving me behind with four children, do you?" Jushiro teased.

Byakuya laughed, shaking his head. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear before looking up. "I won't lie. It won't be easy for you."

"I will help you, Daddy." Orihime announced. "I won't be a child for long."

"Shut your mouth!" Jushiro growled. "Don't say such terrible things." Orihime only smiled, stirring the pot of soup.

"I think I'll hunt." Byakuya said, standing abruptly.

"There wasn't much out there," Ichigo warned. "I haven't caught anything but rabbits and voles for a week now."

"Hopefully I'll have better luck." Byakuya said, fulling intending to head into the town rather than hunt for small mammals in the forest.

"Would you like help?" Renji asked, watching Byakuya with interest.

"If you'll come." Byakuya replied.

Renji nodded slowly as he stood, "If you'll have me."

* * *

"It went by too fast." Renji said, staring down at his hands, his bare feet curling against the stone. He could taste the blood on his lips; still feel the chill from Byakuya's bare body against his.

Byakuya was flushed with color. Blood still stained his lips, evidence of the large bovine meal he had indulged in less than an hour before. He blinked slowly, processing Renji's words in his yearning brain. "Renji…" Byakuya shook his head, changing his mind.

"Give me your hand." Renji instructed, taking Byakuya's frozen hand in his. He could see the blood pumping beneath the skin. He always looked the most alive after a meal. Renji kissed Byakuya's hand sweetly, his warm lips leaving a patch of color where it touched.

"For a moment." Byakuya replied.

"A moment more is all I need." Renji promised, his voice strained. He pressed a dozen kisses against Byakuya's skin, his own fingers digging into Byakuya's flesh in a needful way.

"Renji, I don't think you should go." Byakuya admitted after a long silence.

"I'm going." Renji insisted flatly.

"There is no need." Byakuya argued. "We can say our goodbyes now."

"I'm going." Renji repeated.

"I wish you wouldn't." Byakuya whispered tightly.

"That makes two of us." Renji retorted.

"Please don't start this." Byakuya pleaded.

"I don't intend to." Renji responded.

"I want you to know," Byakuya began. "That these past five years have been the most enjoyable years of my entire life."

"What do I say to that?" Renji choked.

"You don't have to say anything." Byakuya answered. "It's my turn to speak."

"This isn't personal. This isn't about you and what you have given me…" Byakuya explained, a strange burning in the corner of his eyes. "This time was beautiful. I have never felt so much love. I have never felt so loved and welcome and…" Byakuya's deep voice broke, his heart throbbing unexpectedly in his chest. "I wish I was human."

"If you were human you'd have died long ago." Renji said. "And we'd've never met."

"I wish I died." Byakuya said breathlessly. "So I could be reborn and live at the same time as you."

"Do you think that's what's next?" Renji asked.

"I have no idea." Byakuya admitted, smiling. "I guess I'll find out."

"Should I look for you?" Renji asked, looking at Byakuya out of the corner of his eyes. "Or is your soul connected to someone else?"

Byakuya was silent for perhaps a second too long before responding, "Come find me."

Renji nodded, crushing his hand over Byakuya's. "Yes."

* * *

"You're still awake?" Byakuya asked as he squeezed through the narrow space of the door. He brushed against Renji, inhaling his lover's scent deeply.

"Yeah." Ichigo said, turning away from the fireplace as he spoke.

"It's late." Renji said, removing his boots.

"I wasn't sure if ya'll were coming back tonight." Ichigo replied.

"You didn't wait up, didja?" Renji asked, removing his jacket and tossing it over the back of a chair.

"Actually, I did." Ichigo admitted. "I wanted to talk to Byakuya before we leave."

"Oh, of course." Byakuya murmured in surprise.

"I'll go get some more wood." Renji offered, kicking the dwindling stack of kindling beside the fire.

"You had planned on going. Did you change your mind?" Byakuya asked, sitting in the chair beside the fire.

"No. I'm going." Ichigo assured him. "I, uh, I guess I just wanted some privacy."

"Of course." Byakuya agreed with a nod.

"I know we didn't always see eye to eye," Ichigo began. "But we couldn't have done any of this without you."

"We didn't see eye to eye?" Byakuya asked, arching a brow. "I didn't realize. Did you not like me?"

"No, that's not it, just…" Ichigo sighed heavily. "Are you teasing me?"

"Mostly." Byakuya replied with a smile.

"You're not gonna make it easy on me, are ya?" Ichigo groaned, fighting a smile.

"Never." Byakuya teased.

"I'm sorry that we must part." Ichigo finally said, with much difficulty.

Byakuya nodded. "Please, I must ask a favor."

"Yes?" Ichigo asked curiously.

"Care for him in my stead." Byakuya whispered, his eyes downcast. "You're incredibly strong and clever. He'll need you in the future."

Ichigo nodded, his large eyes blinking rapidly. "Of course."

"I don't think he believes me," Byakuya realized sadly. "But he's the happiest memory I'll leave with."

"I understand what you're doing and why…" Ichigo breathed out. "But I can't help but see it his way."

"That's fine." Byakuya said. "You were with him long before and you'll be with him long after. You have to take his side."

"I'm not taking his side…" Ichigo argued halfheartedly. "I just mean-"

"No. Don't explain yourself." Byakuya insisted. "There's no need."

"You really aren't making this easy on me." Ichigo complained.

"I'm sorry." Byakuya laughed. "Let me go next." Byakuya sobered up. "I am truly proud to be considered your friend. I have enjoyed my time with you and your kind. I wish you well in your future battle. I regret not being able to stay around to help you fight it… but I cannot wait any longer."

"We will need you." Ichigo interjected, suddenly furious at everything.

"You will not." Byakuya insisted gently.

"We can't beat them alone." Ichigo argued.

"Maybe you can't, but you will still fight." Byakuya replied. "And I believe you will destroy your enemies."

"Damn it, Byakuya!" Ichigo nearly shouted.

"The Masters are your oppressors." Byakuya said. "Not mine. This is no longer my fight."

"I know. You're right. I just… I just…" Ichigo trailed off.

"I will miss you." Byakuya said with a nod.

Ichigo nodded in return, "And I will miss you."

"Protect him." Byakuya instructed, his hands gripping the arms of his chair.

"It feels like a strange thing to ask, considering what he is and all." Ichigo reasoned.

"I've fought a Master." Byakuya explained. "To this day I have never quite felt the same." Byakuya turned to look at Ichigo. "Please. Protect him. Care for him."

"I would without you asking." Ichigo pointed out.

"I know." Byakuya agreed. "And you've no idea the peace that gives me."

"You're full of surprises." Ichigo wondered aloud. "I thought our last conversation would go a little differently."

"How so?"

Ichigo paused thoughtfully, "Well, Shunsui and I are taking your life tomorrow. I expected you to ask how or ask to make it less painful…"

"Don't be ridiculous." Byakuya scoffed. "Impending death or not, I am me."

"Point taken." Ichigo murmured.

The door opened and Renji stepped into the small cabin with a stack of freshly chopped wood in his arms. He placed the wood on the floor beside the fire before looking over at Byakuya and Ichigo. "Finished?"

"Yes." Byakuya said, standing up from his chair. He looked over at Ichigo and smiled tightly. "Morning is approaching. Get some sleep."

* * *

He was sleeping soundly when a bright light flashed into his face. He wriggled in his cot, but the blinding light was persistent as if it had a mind of its own. The sun poured in through the narrow window. Renji blinked awake, feeling the warmth of a body beside him. He panicked, his hand reaching out and grabbing blindly at the person lying in bed with him. He sat up, his hand touching bits and pieces of a body not belonging to Byakuya. "Who… Orihime…"

"They left half an hour ago." Jushiro explained, watching Renji from the chair beside the window. He held Byakuya's sword in his hands, the metal gleaming handsomely. The blinding light that woke him had been reflecting from the blade itself.

"What?!" Renji demanded, jumping from the floor to his feet in seconds. "Why? Why did they leave without me?"

"They headed northeast." Jushiro said quickly as Renji threw open the door, without bothering to dress.

"Am I too late?" Renji asked, jumping over the refuse trench Shunsui had dug out two weeks prior.

"I don't know." Jushiro admitted, leaning heavily against the door frame.

Renji ran hard, his bare feet pounding against the unyielding earth. His breath came out in short bursts, his nostrils flaring, the color draining from his brown cheeks. He dashed through the forest, his eyes closed in deep thought. He had mapped out this forest; he knew it like the back of his hand. He only needed to find them.

He stopped when he reached the edge of the wood. He stepped into the wide, open field, looking around in desperation. Byakuya was there, sitting on the ground, the tall grass trampled down beneath him. Ichigo and Shunsui stood, giving the other man some distance.

"Byakuya!" Renji called out, running toward the vampire.

Byakuya looked up, an easy and natural smile stretching across his face. "Good morning."

"Why?" Renji asked, out of breath. "You left without waking me…"

"I didn't think you needed to be here," Byakuya murmured, reaching his hand out toward Renji. "But I changed my mind once we got here." Byakuya pulled Renji onto the ground beside him. "I'm glad you came."

"I…" Renji gulped for air, his heart pounding in his throat and ears. "Yeah. Of course…"

"The sky is so blue." Byakuya mused, lying back in the grass and using Renji's lap as a pillow. "Today's a good day."

Renji scoffed, his throat constricting tightly. "You may have no heart after all, Byakuya."

"That may be." Byakuya conceded with a slow nod.

"I didn't mean it." Renji groaned, shaking his head. "I just…"

"I know." Byakuya assured him, stroking his hand affectionately.

"I want this to be a dream." Renji said quietly, his eyes downcast. "And I could just wake up and everything would be okay. I don't even dare to wish for more, I just need it to be okay."

"It is okay." Byakuya replied. "You'll be okay."

"But nothing more." Renji returned emotionally.

"Please…" Byakuya pleaded. "Don't equate this decision with selfishness. If I were a man, there would be no cause for a separation. But I am a monster; with no beating heart to love you or true breath to speak your name. There is no warmth in me."

"Your love is warm." Renji exclaimed, holding tightly onto Byakuya.

"Thank you." Byakuya replied, truly appreciative.

"I'll be okay…" Renji surrendered, bowing his head in defeat.

"I know." Byakuya murmured.

"I'll be okay." Renji repeated.

"I'm going to close my eyes now," Byakuya whispered, his lips suddenly pressed against Renji's. They kissed deeply, Renji losing his breath quickly. Byakuya pulled away, his hand on Renji's cheek and his eyes held tightly closed. "Because I want your face to be the last I see."

Byakuya stood, his eyes held firmly shut. He walked slowly, his fingers trailing over the tips of the tall grass. Renji wanted to call out. He wanted to climb to his feet and chase after the other, grab him, bind him to him forever. But he merely watched the vampire stride into the middle of the field.

Ichigo and Shunsui moved silently, making their own paths of ruin through the flaxen grass. They neared Byakuya and Renji turned away. He couldn't bear to witness any more. "Find me." Byakuya said, no more than a whisper. He smiled peacefully, his arms held out at his sides. Still his eyes were closed tightly. "I'll wait."

There was a terrible, searing pain and then there was nothing else. It had been mercifully quick. In the darkness there was sudden, extraordinary light. Byakuya opened his eyes slowly and took a step back in surprise.

Shuren stood in front him, one hand hooked around the horse's bridle and the other extended to him his sword, the Sword of God, in offering. "Boy."

"Shuren?" Byakuya gasped, sure that his eyes were deceiving him. He grabbed his sword, holding the well-balanced steel in his hands.

"Come." Shuren instructed, beckoning Byakuya closer.

"I'm dead." Byakuya breathed out, a strange, but not uncomfortable, hollowness radiating from his body. "You're dead."

"Yes." Shuren nodded. "Come."

"Why… are you here?" Byakuya asked, a sob ripping from his throat.

"I wait." Shuren replied, thumbing away a tear from Byakuya's cheek. "Now we go."

"Where?" Byakuya questioned, forever insatiably curious.

Shuren smiled, something that was quite rare in life, "To the next."

 ** _EPILOGUE_**

The young man rolled his eyes. Sometimes he was so embarrassed by his peers' stupidity he wanted to claim he wasn't the same species. He leaned forward in his chair, placing his cup of espresso back down on the table. He cleared his throat and licked his lips, trying to find the strength to bite his tongue. He had no such strength. "You're wrong, you know," the man drawled matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" the other young man asked, sitting back in his chair. "What do you mean?"

"First of all, Spain is in Europe. Duh." The young man corrected in annoyance. "That means that Spaniards totally count as _European_ explorers. Second, Egypt is in Africa. Do you seriously think Africa is a country? I pity the poor fool who has to grade your papers…"

"Okay, but, like, who knows that?" the other student asked, making an incredulous face.

"Literally everyone." The young man retorted. He gathered his papers and books and shoved them back into his messenger bag. He took one last drink of his espresso and stood, the chair scraping loudly on the sidewalk.

"Where're you going?" the other students hissed in unison. They began to mutter in dissent as he walked away. "Peer review is 40% of the grade."

"Email me when you've learned the continents." The young man exclaimed, waving dismissively as he walked down the street. It was a particularly cold autumn, soon snow would fall. He tightened his scarf more closely around himself and shoved his hands in his pockets.

It was a short walk back to the university so he slowed his stride. He meandered down the old city streets at a leisurely pace. He stopped outside several shops, peering through the fogged up glass at the unique treasures inside. He wiped the next set of windows with a gloved hand, staring inside at a breathtaking collection of eastern jewelry.

Entranced, he stepped inside the antique shop. The door closed behind him, the bell tinkling, alerting of his arrival. The shop was dusty and smelled wonderfully of books. The young man smiled, pressing his fingers along the spine of an ancient-looking book.

"Hello…" a man's deep voice called from the back of the store. "Welcome."

"Hello." The young man replied, catching a flash of white disappearing behind a row of shelves.

"Is there something I can help you with?" the deep-voiced man asked.

"Ah." The young man replied. "Just looking."

"Let me know if you need help." The man called out.

"How long has this shop been here?" the young man asked, adjusting his heavy bag on his shoulder. "I don't think I've noticed it before."

"A while." The man drawled curiously.

"Huh." The young man replied. "Well, it's a beautiful shop. Do you own it?"

"Yes, my husband and I own it."

"Ah…" the young man murmured, a little surprised and embarrassed. The young man suddenly grew nervous. Where was the man speaking anyway? "Sir, uh, where are you anyway?"

"Over here." The man replied, suddenly visible in the center of the packed shop. He smiled kindly, his long, white hair parted neatly in the center. The white hair was as pure as snow, but the man couldn't be more than forty or so. "Did you need help?"

"No, I…" the young man trailed off, his attention pulled away toward a glinting object in the case beside the owner. "What… what is that?"

"Ah, this?" the white-haired man smiled, his green eyes sparkling in the dimly lit shop. "This is something very special…" The young man approached, as if drawn to the very spot. He leaned over, his black hair cascading over his shoulder. He studied the object with interest, his finger trailing along the wooden detail of the display case. "You've got a full book bag. Do you go to the university?"

"Yes." The young man replied with a nod. "I'm a journalism major, minoring in history."

"Then you'll really love this item." The white haired man sighed. "It has a fascinating history."

"Does it now?" the young man asked, meeting the white-haired man's gaze.

"My husband is really much better at story-telling," the man mused. "Please, would you stay for dinner? He'll be back soon and I know you'd find it all very interesting."

"Well…" the young man hesitated before responding. "Do you live above?"

"Yes. We do." The man explained. "There're six of us. We're a big family."

"If there's room," the young man answered. "I don't see why not."

"Excellent." The owner breathed out in relief. He smiled, his brow arching rather mischievously. "Now, I must ask you a question…"

"Yes, sir?"

The shopkeeper looked absolutely tickled, he pushed one of his keys into the lock on the case and, pulling out the ancient artifact, drawled excitedly, "Have you ever seen such a sword?"

 **THE END**


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